VOLUME 9 ISSUE 14

APRIL 13TH - APRIL 20TH 2013

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VOLUME 9 - No. 14

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SIPT QUESTIONS FORMER GOVERNOR RICHARD TAUWHARE

BY HAYDEN BOYCE

Publisher & Editor-in-Chief Richard Tauwhare

F

ormer Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands, Richard Tauwhare, has been questioned by the Special Investigations and Prosecution Team (SIPT) as part of the corruption investigations.

The SUN has been reliably informed that late last year, Tauwhare was interviewed extensively in London by senior SIPT detectives on a wide range of matters which occurred while he was Governor between July 2005 and July 2008.

Since Tauwhare left the Turks and Caicos Island, many residents

Helen Garlcik

DOLPHIN COVE DEVELOPER HAS DOUBTS ABOUT APPROVAL

PREMIER DENIES THAT MINISTER WAS ASKED TO RESIGN

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FIVE CAYS COMMUNITY CENTRE VANDALIZED

GUARDS INJURED IN HAITIAN ESCAPE

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have not only questioned his whereabouts, but some have expressed the view that he and former Attorney General Kirk DeFreitas should be held responsible for some of the very activities which the SIPT has been investigating.

However, it could be ascertained whether Tauwhare will be charged with any offences, although this is very unlikely.

The whereabouts of the 54-yearold former governor has been somewhat of a secret since he left the Turks and Caicos Islands, but The SUN discovered that he Tauwhare is now working as the Head of the Arms Export Policy Department at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Prior to that he was the FCO’s Communications Learning and Development Review Team Leader, responsible for leading a project to ensure that all FCO staff have the skills and understanding necessary to exploit fully the potential of strategic communications in achieving our foreign policy priorities.

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SIPT QUESTIONS FORMER GOVERNOR CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Tauwhare is one of approximately 185 persons in the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Caribbean and many other jurisdictions in North America and Europe, who have been interviewed as witnesses or suspects by the SIPT, which is led by Helen Garlick.

The former governor, who was preceded by Jim Poston and succeeded by Gordon Wetherell, presided over and/or signed off some of the most significant developments in the history of the Turks and Caicos Islands under the Progressive National Party (PNP) administration which was led by former Premier Michael Misick.

Tauwhare was the first governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands to receive a salary of more than $100,000 a year and he was perhaps the first to have tow official residences; one at Waterloo in Grand Turk (the Governor’s official residence) and a penthouse at the Pinnacle on Grace Bay, Providenciales, which was paid for by the Turks and Caicos Islands government.

Meantime, in an address to a United Kingdom All Party Parliamentary Group on corruption, Helen Garlick, who was appointed

Special Prosecutor in August 2009, had some very strong words to say about the Turks and Caicos Islands and its lawyers, the legal aid system and trial by jury.

In a part of the speech, she stated: “As you will know, after 3 years, free elections took place a few weeks ago and the PNP has been re elected to government, albeit under a revised Constitution.

I understand that one has to appreciate the Constitutional and Political tensions, that the UK Gov’t wants to encourage greater autonomy and steer the ODT s to a point where they are ready to embrace full independence but I believe that there has been neglect of essential law reform and capacity building for decades and that this has to be rectified as a matter of urgency, using whatever are judged to be the appropriate degrees of compulsion and encouragement . The TCI is not the only ODT which has become a magnet for inward investment, because of its beaches and attractive tax regime. If the ODTs are not fully equipped to combat corruption and money laundering, they risk becoming hijacked by organised crime, even without the encouragement of corrupt politicians.”

She told the All-Party Group that the Special Investigation and

Prosecution Team (SIPT) became fully operational in March 2010 and within 18 months had charged 13 people with offences of bribery, money laundering and conspiracy to defraud. The accused, she reported, include 4 former Cabinet Ministers and 3 local attorneys.

Also 2 foreign property developers accused of giving bribes. (one of these suffers from ill health and accordingly the proceedings against him have had to be discontinued. ) Garlick said papers have been served on the former Premier Michael Misick, who “fled the country soon after we arrived and application will be made to try him in his absence”. She added that there is an international warrant of arrest for a third foreign property developer (Dr. Cem Kinay), adding that the investigation is “largely complete but there remains the possibility of further charges against a handful of other suspects”.

Garlick noted that TCI has trial by jury, which is a panel consisting of only 7 persons and that only Belongers have the franchise and with it the right to sit on juries, stating that there are about 6,000 adult Belongers.

She said trial by jury is not recognised as a human right under the European or UN Conventions and it is no part of the justice system in many countries which are full members of both.

Garlick added: “In the UK, we have removed the right in cases of jury tampering. Post the Commission of Inquiry, under the interim administration a Trials Without Juries Ordinance was passed, that allows a judge to be the arbiter of whether a fair trial can take place before a jury. In countries of very small populations, perhaps with very strong and ingrained cultural and political affiliations provision must be made for either the defence or the prosecution to argue that a jury trial will not result in a just determination, based solely on the admissible evidence produced in court. In many ODT’s there has to be a pre trial hearing before the Magistrates Court, where if the defence insist, all the evidence that the prosecution relies on to prove its prima facie case must be called. This is the case throughout the region and there are Caribbean countries where cases commenced three or four years ago are still stalled at the preliminary stage. In cases of high level political corruption there is every incentive to drag the proceedings out in this way, hoping that the political landscape will be changed and that the prosecution will run out of steam and lose political support. During the interim administration an ordinance was passed that replicates the position in the UK, so that serious cases are fast tracked through the Magistrates court and are sent directly to the Supreme

Court, where a Judge can hear applications to dismiss based solely on the papers. This is what has happened in the our case.”

GARLICK ON LEGAL AID

With regards to legal aid, Garlick stated: “To mount a large document driven prosecution, adequate funds must be made available and a rationale scheme has to be put in place to ensure that those accused who cannot pay for their defence have a fair trial. It is not unusual for defendants accused of acquiring large amounts of cash and criminal assets to be unable to fund their own defence by the time they are tried. The TCI had no scheme that was fit for this trial, the first in its history that had ever made such demands on the public purse. A bespoke scheme has had to be devised solely for this litigation. As with substantive law reform, the challenge is not to saddle small jurisdictions with the complexities and administrative burden of the UK Legal Aid scheme but to put in place a scheme that is seen to be administered fairly and reasonably, that is as consistent as possible with other ODTs and where the rates paid bears comparison with regional rates paid privately for legal advice and representation.”

HELEN GARLICK ON THE LEGAL PROFESSION

Speaking on the legal profession, which she says has a statutory duty under local Legal Profession Ordinances both to promote the proper administration of justice and to protect the public by regulating itself in order to ensure proper standards of competence and integrity, Garlick stated. “It is my experience that local Bar Councils in small territories tend to act more like a trade union, concerned principally to protect their members from competition with practitioners from outside the jurisdiction and appear to accept little if any responsibility for enforcing standards of integrity and competence or for taking a pro active role in law reform. Many ODT practitioners are members of the UK Bar or are UK qualified solicitors, accepting the advantages that brings, including the reassurance it provides to clients. But for example ,they are not required to take part in Continuous Practice Development, which is insisted on in the UK, as one of the key ways of ensuring that legal skills and ethical standards are maintained and in several other respects, including the pupilage rules, it seems to me that any examination of the fitness of the ODTs to comply with internationally required standards so far as corruption and money laundering, has to involve a rigorous look at the manner in which the legal profession is regulated.”

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LOCAL NEWS

Dolphin Cove developer not confident of local approval

BY VIVIAN TYSON

N

eil Burrowes, the man behind the planned construction of the Dolphin Cove attractions in Turks and Caicos told The SUN that he is not positive that the pair of developments – Grand Turk and Providenciales – will get government approval.

Last week Burrowes took out ads in the local media, advertising for employment and announcing a town hall meeting in Grand Turk on April 22. When this newspaper contacted him in Cayman, to explain why he decided to make job advertisements when the project was not approved, explained that it was part of the entity’s process of showcasing the various opportunities for employment.

But despite taking out the ads, Burrowes said that he was not confident that his bid to construct the Dolphin Cove project in the Turks and Caicos Islands would get approval based on the level of pushback from interest groups here.

“We are not positive at all. We have five other islands that want us, and if we are not wanted (in Turks and Caicos) we won’t come. There are people (in the Turks and Caicos) who believe that attractions help

the demand for hotels and vise versa. There are some people in Turks and Caicos who would very much like to see us investing in the Turks and Caicos Islands,” he said.

“We spend US$3million a year in Cayman; this is on services such as taxi, labour and other stuff. That is the kind of payroll we pay in Cayman every year. And also, when you look at the number of local people that we employ; so we are serious about investing, but if we are not wanted we will not force the issue, we would just go somewhere else,” Burrowes noted.

Former minister of Environment and Home Affairs Hon. Porsha Stubbs-Smith, recently told The SUN that government had requested the developers to hold a town hall meeting in the TCI, to gather feedback as to whether or not locals would be open to the idea of having the project set up shop here. This was after the Physical Planning Department deferred Dolphin Cove’s application for a later date, and some members of the public were saying that the application was rejected.

Stubbs-Smith said at the time that feedback from the public would determine whether or not the project gets the stamp of approval from government.

Neil Burrowes, head of Dolphin Cove Burrowes said in an earlier interview that if given the green light, the dolphin park could develop in phases. Phase one would be the dolphin attraction, while phases two and three, if granted permission, could involve sharks, stingrays and iguanas. He said that phase one could employ up to 40 people directly, in addition to the multiplier employments that it would also provide.

He said that while, initially, Belongers may not be employed in the dolphin-training operation; there will be a number of opportunities for employment, such as management, photography, book-keeping, tour- guiding, reservations, security and gift shop.

Some of the persons who are opposed to Dolphin Cove coming to the TCI said they are against the project for “moral reason”. One told The SUN that local marine icon “Jojo the Dolphin” represents freedom to sea mammals its kind, and so, to have a dolphin park constructed in the Turks and Caicos Islands would go straight to the heart of what “Jojo” stands for.

At the World Travel Awards last year, Dolphin Cove staved off the challenges from a number of other primary attractions to land the Caribbean's Leading Adventure Excursion Operator award. Dolphin Cove, with operations in Cayman and Jamaica, are considered leading attractions on those neighbouring islands.

Burrowes believes that the indigenous people, for the most part, welcome the attraction, but it is those, who he described as rich expatriates, that are stymieing the project.

Acting Chief Justice Madame Justice Margaret Ramsay Hale sworn in by Governor J

ustice Margaret Ramsay Hale was sworn in as the acting Chief Justice (CJ) of the Turks and Caicos Islands by His Excellency Governor Ric Todd today, Thursday, 11 Apr 2013.

She will remain as acting CJ until the return of Chief Justice Edwin Goldsbrough from annual leave. Ramsay-Hale, a former Chief Magistrate of the Cayman Islands, is currently the most senior judge on the Supreme Court after Goldsbrough.

A Jamaican, Ramsay-Hale holds a degree in economics from the London School of Economics in addition to her law degree from the University of the West Indies.

Prior to her arrival in the Turks and Caicos Is-

MARGARET RAMSAY-HALE

WARNING ABOUT DRIVING WITH LICENCE

T

his is an announcement from the Department of Road Safety, Ministry of Environment and Home Affairs.

The Department of Road Safety is advising the general public that it is illegal to drive without a valid driver’s licence, as well as to operate a vehicle that is not licensed and insured.

The public is hereby advised that the Department is in the process of

listing individuals who are without up-to-date licences and vehicle registration. This list will be forwarded to the Turks and Caicos Islands Police force for necessary action.

The Department would also like to encourage individuals who have made payments and have not received their driver’s licence to visit the nearest Road Safety Office to collect them.

lands she was appointed a Judge of the Family Court in St James, Jamaica, eventually moving to the Criminal Courts as a Resident Magistrate for the parish.

She then moved to Cayman Islands to serve as a Magistrate of the Summary Court and she sat as an Acting Judge of the Grand Court for several months.

Ramsay-Hale is the daughter of the late legendary Jamaican attorney Ian Ramsay, QC, who is widely regarded as one of the best lawyers in the history of the Caribbean and who was the first Jamaican lawyer to earn the distinction of Queen’s Counsel.

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LOCAL NEWS

THE ERA OF RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT IS UPON US I

The bare-bones approach that n the United States, the Demohas been instituted by the Intercrats have been known as the im Administration, is designed to Party of “Tax and Spend”, while push the average Turks and Cain the UK the Conservatives have icos Islander down through the been known as the Party of “Auspoverty line, without any prosterity”. In the Turks and Caicos Ispects of raising his head again. lands, our two main Parties, PNP That certainly cannot be what a and PDM have been labeled simresponsive government is expectilarly. ed to do. But we have to realize Under the Interim Administrathat their approach was to cut us tion, we have seen a severe cutdown to size irrespective of the back in the allocation of funds adverse social implications that to critical areas of social developwould be the result. ment, education and infrastrucIf the remit was to cut back on ture. Things have been pared

BY ROYAL S. ROBINSON, MBE some of the waste and abuse of back so much that you can see the bone protruding through the thinly covered the system, that would have been laudable. However, by the time they took over form Hon. Galflesh.

If that trend continues for a prolonged peri- mo Williams, all of those areas had already been od, we will see a severe damage to our economic plugged.

As Minister of Finance, I had given Ministers a and social development. We know for sure that in TCI, the path to upward mobility takes us through ten percent cut in salary, those persons who were the educational process, coupled with a robust in- in receipt of allowances, the validity of which had ward investment regime. There is no other way expired lost them, travel to and through the Isfor it to be done here. Of course, a social safety lands had to be rationalized.

Those advisors that brought no utility were net must be in place to deal why those persons in our communities, for whatever, reason do not terminated. So the real heavy lifting had already make it. What is required is not extravagance, but been done. The one big elephant in the room was the over-subscribed civil service. A profesadequacy.

In the US, when Bill Clinton was President, he said that the “Era of big government is ended”. He did not say that the government should shuck its responsibility to its people by cutting out all of the key programmes that were put in place for the people, but rather cut back on those things that only profited a few companies and persons, like the great military complex.

I have said that in TCI, we have never really had a revenue problem, but rather, a spending problem. There was a lot of abuse of the system by unscrupulous persons, from the political side as well as the Civil Service side.

I could not for the life of me understand why Heads of Departments would schedule a meeting in Providenciales, and all staff members, on arriving in Providenciales, have individual access to a rental car to be parked in front of the meeting place for the duration of the meeting.

Equally wasteful was the practice of bringing whole departments to Grand Turk to a meeting to hear addresses by Heads or invited persons.

The picture must be completed by the over usage of corporate jet at our expense. That is not to say that travelling in comfort and in speed should not be available to our political leaders, but rather that it be reasonable and rational.

sional way as to how to shed some dead weight without at the same time cut back on the delivery of essential services had to be found. The remedy that was found and given by the Interim Administration, was scandalous and callous to say the least.

Right now, we have the situation where the pendulum has been swung too far to the right of centre and those persons adversely impacted are Turks and Caicos Islanders. This is the only country that I know that civil servants in the normal course of their duty are making more money than Ministers. And the irony of it is that these rates are being set by civil servants!

We have in place now a duly elected government of the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands. The Court challenges to the legitimacy of some of its members are behind us. We now have to move full speed ahead with putting in place the things that make sense for the development of our people in this country.

Many would have said some years ago that building a road from Bellefield Landing and Sandy Point all the way up to Lorimers Creek did not make economic sense. For some it will still remain an exercise in futility. But when you see the smiles on the faces of those persons in Lorimers,

Turks and Caicos Sun Suite # 5, Airport Plaza Providenciales Turks and Caicos Islands Tel: (649) 946-8542 Fax: (649) 941-3281 Email: sun@suntci.com Read us online at www.suntci.com Publisher & Editor-in-Chief: Hayden Boyce Senior Editor: Vivian Tyson Office Manager: Dominique Rigby Distribution Manger: Kelano Howell Design by Design2pro.com 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.

few though they be that can put their pot on the fire and go to My Dees for onions and be back before the oil gets hot, if a beauty to behold.

Look at what those roads did for the promotion of a diverse tourism product. I see Blue Horizon has opened a new fine dining restaurant that has great views of “Mudgen Harbour”. Tourists, as well as the ordinary Turks and Caicos Islands citizens can easily take a day trip and enjoy the scenery.

The putting in place of infrastructure for initially social benefit, but realizing long term economic benefit, would not be in the cards for persons who have the look at the bottom line only mentality. I urge the Premier and his team to, in face of the odds that are stacked against them to really and truly put in place the necessary mechanisms to ensure the economic future of this country. We have placed ourselves as a “high end” destination. We have to have all of the trimmings that accompany such a status. Our education must be geared to enhancing the persons delivering the services. To play the part, we must look the part.

We cannot have our Premier and Ministers travelling on long journeys at the back of the bus, while we pay for civil servants and foreign advisors to travel in business class.

The changing of the goal post by the CFO and his team must stop. Every time our financing enhancing measures show that we will have the money that has been demanded by the British, they throw in another wrinkle. That attitude is designed to make the country unstable and is not in the best interest of the good governance that they say that they subscribe to.

They just have to stop playing mind games and allow the elected representatives to properly deal with the issues. They must by now realize that in spite of the Constitutional constraints, they are no longer in charge as they used to be. Let Ministerial direction prevail and not continue the myopic and obstructive British civil service mentality!

• Royal Robinson was a former Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance and Health in a Progressive National Party (PNP) Administration.

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LOCAL NEWS

Revenue Control Unit says Regularise or face penalties T

he Revenue Control Unit, Ministry of Finance, Trade and Tourism is reminding owners, managers and operators of businesses registered within the Turks and Caicos Islands, that those who fail to regularise their operations by month end, will face penalties.

The Unit has issued an appeal to all business operators and their

agents noting that that as of April 10, 2013; they have 15 days in which to ensure that they are in good standing in relation to the payment of all fees, charges and arrears.

Following the expiration of the notice, TCIG will publish the names of those businesses that are not in good standing. In addition, individuals who fail to comply will

have their Business Licenses suspended and revoked under Section 10 & 11 of the Business Licensing Ordinance.

Operators of businesses that have ceased operations are required under section 8 & 9 of the Business Licensing Ordinance, to give notice of changes in the particulars of the business, including the date the

business ceased to operate. There are penalties for failing to adhere to these requirements which have been expressly provided in writing to all Licensee Holders.

The Unit advises that that this is their final appeal: Ensure that your Business License is current; otherwise TCIG will commence legal proceedings against all defaulters.

Deputy Premier and Director of Youth Affairs attending meeting in Papua New Guinea D

eputy Premier and Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Akierra Missick and the Director of Youth Affairs Mrs. Angela Musgrove left the island on Thursday April 11, 2013 to represent the Turks and Caicos Islands at a meeting of the Commonwealth Youth Ministers.

They will attend the 8th Meeting of Commonwealth Youth Minsters (8CYMM) is being held in, Papua New Guinea, which is located north of Australia, from 15 to19 April 2013. With 60 per cent of the Commonwealth’s two billion people under the age of 30 years, the meeting's theme will be ‘Young People at the Centre of Sustainable Development’.

Topics to be explored at the meeting include: • The economic, social and political em-

•

AKIERRA MISICK AND ANGELA MUSGROVE

•

powerment of young people; The importance and capacity of young people to take on integrated roles in all aspects of development;

Cross border, cross sector, cross generational collaboration leading to greater impact; • A new era of youth development; • Challenges faced by both governments and young people and successes achieved.

8CYMM will be preceded by the Youth Leaders Forum (15-16 April), Senior Officials Meeting (16 April) and a Stakeholders meeting (16-18 April).

Minister Missick noted:”I am looking forward to the opportunities this will provide to build partnerships and to explore avenues to enhance youth development and involvement here on the islands”.

The Minister and Mrs Musgrove will return to the island on Monday April 24, 2013.

Rufus on Donhue T

here has been much discussion in the media and amongst residents concerning a recent firearm incident and the Minister of Immigration and Labour, Hon. Ricardo Don Hue Gardiner.

I wish to inform the public that a thorough investigation is ongoing to ascertain the realities of the incident and the extent of the involve-

ment of the Honorable Minister, if any. The Office of the Premier is currently awaiting such official reports of the incident from the Commissioner of Police and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution.

In the meantime it has been rumoured that the Honorable Minister of Immigration and Labour has been fired and/or has resigned from

his post. Such rumours are false as the Minister has not tendered his resignation nor has the Premier asked for it to be tendered. We live in a country that must be governed by the rule of law and justice, and as such it is inappropriate for me to harbour any such requests before the investigations have been completed and recommendations have

been made in the interest of Good Governance.

I must however reiterate my view which is that persons in public life, including members of Cabinet and of the legislative and Judicial arms of government, should conduct themselves throughout, in a manner that is befitting of the offices that they hold.

SUN PUBLISHER RESPONDS TO ALBRAY BUTTERFIELD’S LETTER CALLING FOR MINISTER OF IMMIGRATION TO RESIGN Dear Albray, Thanks for sending me the e-mail. I have read it line by line.

In my view, you have been exceedingly harsh on Hon. Donhue Gardiner by clearly placing heavy reliance on hearsay, and you have uncharacteristically been a total stranger to the facts.

To the best of my knowledge, TCI police officials have not, certainly in any of their press releases, implicated Mr. Gardiner in this incident, neither has he been arrested or charged.

In fact, you very well may have defamed the minister in your article, but that is a matter for his lawyers to decide!

If I may, in much the same way that a high level of responsibility is expected from those in

public office, no less a standard should be demanded from those who venture to comment on serious matters, my friend. Quite frankly, some of the points you made (in fact many of them) are not germane to the issue at hand, even if there is general merit in some of your observations.

I am sure you would agree with me that it is most unfair for anyone to rush to judgment and seek to criminalise other persons without being furnished with facts. Equally, it is highly unpleasant, unfortunate and simply wrong to paint all, politicians and\or others, with the same brush.

In all fairness to Mr. Gardiner, we should, and must, wait on the results of the police investigation and take it in stages from there. The

chips will then necessarily fall where they may.

I’m particularly concerned that by the tone and content of your article, not to mention the list of persons to whom it was copied, you may quite well be guilty of some of the very salient points you raised. To be clear, I hold no brief for Mr. Gardiner but I sincerely believe we must endeavour to be very careful about what we write. As Omar Khayyam reminded us: “The moving finger writes, and having writ, moves on. Nor all your piety or wit shall lure it back to cancel half a line, nor all your tears wash out a word of it.”

Regards, Hayden Boyce Publisher & Editor-in-Chief Turks and Caicos SUN

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LOCAL NEWS

Premier Ewing denies that Hon. Donhue Gardiner was asked to resign P

remier Hon. Dr. Rufus Ewing has denied reports that he has asked Minister of Immigration to resign.

In a media statement, the Premier stated: “There has been much discussion in the media and amongst residents concerning a recent firearm incident and the Minister of Immigration and Labour, Hon. Ricardo Don Hue Gardiner. I wish to inform the public that a thor-

ough investigation is ongoing to ascertain the realities of the incident and the extent of the involvement of the Honorable Minister, if any.

The Office of the Premier is currently awaiting such official reports of the incident from the Commissioner of Police and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution. “ The Premier added: “In the meantime it has been rumoured that the

Honorable Minister of Immigration and Labour has been fired and/or has resigned from his post. Such rumours are false as the Minister has not tendered his resignation nor has the Premier asked for it to be tendered. We live in a country that must be governed by the rule of law and justice, and as such it is inappropriate for me to harbour any such requests before the investiga-

tions have been completed and recommendations have been made in the interest of Good Governance.

I must however reiterate my view which is that persons in public life, including members of Cabinet and of the legislative and Judicial arms of government, should conduct themselves throughout, in a manner that is befitting of the offices that they hold.”

Butch Stewart denies interest in setting up newspaper in the Turks and Caicos Islands

BUTCH STEWART

Sandals Resorts International (SRI) says there is no truth to an unsubstantiated news story in the Turks and Caicos Islands, claiming that its Chairman, Gordon “Butch” Stewart, has acquired or is attempting to acquire a license to operate a newspaper in the TCI, whether independently or with a partner.

A press release from SRI and Stewart stated : “Such a mischievous assertion does no credit to journalism, more so when the news outlet in question is unable to present facts to support the veracity of the said article. Sandals Resorts International continues its focus on Beaches Turks& Caicos and the development of its recent acqui-

sition, the Veranda, to be renamed “The Key West Village.”

A recent article on the TCI Post said that Stewart was seeking to establish a newspaper in the TCI with assistance from the People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) and its leader Hon. Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson and deputy Sean Astwood.

The PDM has since denied the report.

Last month, two senior journalists and a photographer from the But Stewart-owned Jamaica Observer newspaper were in the Turks and Caicos Islands filing a number of articles. Prior to that, a team from the Jamaica Gleaner was here.

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LOCAL NEWS

Sailrock Resort leading South Caicos’ transformation

BY VIVIAN TYSON

F

rom the looks of things, South Caicos, often referred to as “The Big South” is on its way back to its days of vibrancy and bustle, thanks to a charge that is being led by resort development brand Sailrock.

Since 2007 to the present, Sailrock has spent over $600,000 in its attempt at transforming that island back to its period of buoyancy. The renaissance comprises a grand beautification of the island, which is currently in high gear and includes the planting of 200 native trees, which include mahogany, through-out the community. The entity is also working with other stakeholders to provide attractions, such as the establishment of a historic tour with the help of the Historical Society, which is aimed at attracting visitors in droves to that island.

The revival also involves the face-lifting of the Regatta Village, the creation of a public promenade or boardwalk and restoration of public buildings along the waterfront.

Most of the funds pumped into the island’s renewal were spent on the construction of historic walls and the island clean-up initiative.

Already the move is beginning to bear fruit as visitors are starting to book day tours to that island, and it is expected that the number should increase in the coming months as the thrust to get the word out that South Caicos is open for business, is increasing in crescendo.

Theodore “Ted” Weldon – Principal and Partner and Albert “Butch” Clare – Vice President in charge of Development for Sailrock South Caicos, told The SUN that even though they are developers, both deemed it a sense of responsibility to undertake what they described as a holistic approach to development – raising quality resort developments, while preserving the environment through a variety of means including aesthetics.

Albert “Butch” Clare (left) and Theodore Walden (Photo file… Albert (Butch) Clare Theodore Walden Photos the newly-constructed area of in South Caicos undertaken by Sailrock Resort (Sailrock1) “In addition to the development that has commenced, we have contributed significantly to the enhancement of the community of South Caicos, which is an ongoing exercise,” explained Clare, who himself is a South Caicos native. “A month ago we have planted 200 hundred trees, from the airport - both sides (of the road) all the way down to the entrance of the (Iris Stubbs) Primary School, which is a little over a mile.”

Clare said that Sailrock began its resuscitation of South Caicos some three years ago, with the construction of decorative stonewalls along certain points on that island, noting that as soon as the tree-planting phase is complete, they would then move on to erection of signage,

which is part of the second phase of the beautification exercise.

“We want to make sure that all of the streets are properly and uniquely equipped with signs,” Clare revealed.

For his part, Weldon said that the development there, in his mind, is not about Sailrock, but South Caicos in general.

“The the landscape and island beautification in South Caicos is part of a larger scale restoration programme. We developed the programme with community stakeholders and with the Turks and Caicos Government. We did a lot of this planning with the government in 2007/2008. The programme includes historic wall restoration and historic street signage. The signs would be

from the period of about the 1960’s, which would be kind of the heyday of South Caicos – right around or near the end of the salt trade,” Weldon said.

Weldon, a Chicago native, further noted that over the medium to long term Sailrock would provide financial assistance as well as training to locals desirous of opening their own businesses on that island, which he said have to be tourism-oriented.

“We are not going to do this all today. This is a long term vision.

So, we kind of look what are the needs (of the community); we talked to community members (to find out) what are their more immediate needs; and we work with everyone – from the D.C. (District Commissioner), Concerned Citizens of South Caicos, which is another group, to look at how we can help them with the community.

“We feel that this initiative will bring back civic pride to “The Big South”, create economic growth and jobs for stakeholders in the community and, promote South as a premier island experience (for) eco tourism cultural experience. South Caicos, just like Grand Turk and Salt Cay, is very rich in history,” Weldon argued.

Among the partners already on board in the restoration of South Caicos are: the Tourist Board, East Bay Resort (South Caicos), Caribbean Cruisin, Big Blue Unlimited, Turks and Caicos National Trust, LIME, Scotiabank, Highpoint, Lew1 Shipping and Tropical Shipping.

Sailrock, which sits on a little under 3 miles of land, is a low density resort development, specializes in cultural and eco-friendly tourism.

It is a combination of selling land and villas. It recently completed its first two villas and launched “Great House” - its first hotel construction - which will start out as 10 villas on 1,500 feet of beach front property.

GOVERNOR TODD MARKS GRAND TURK HOSPITAL THIRD ANNIVERSARY Governor Ric Todd visited the Cockburn Town Medical Centre, Grand Turk, to mark the third anniversary of his predecessor, Gordon Wetherall, officially opening the facility three years ago on Wednesday April 10th, 2013.

The Governor was accompanied throughout his visit by Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) Government Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health Desiree Lewis. They were joined on their visit by TCIG's Director of Health Services Dr. Nadia Astwood, InterHealth's CEO Jill Magri, Cockburn Town Medical Center Hospital Administrator Dr. Denise Braithwaite, Engineer Donald Wilson and Internist Dr. Ravindra.

Todd heard how over the past three years the hospital has treated: 86,810 accident and emergency visits; 5,914 inpatient admissions; 141,375 outpatient visit; 1,462 inpatient and 1,948 day surgeries.

Some of the benefits and improvements of the new hospital over its predecessor include:

· The cost of overseas treatment has fallen from $60m to $10m each year. · The ability to deliver local orthopedic services with an in-house surgeon, reducing overseas costs; as well as oncology services and reconstructive plastic surgery services. · An improved international reputation – the hospital was quoted in a major meeting in Trinidad and Tobago last summer as an example of excellence, and awarded Diamond Accreditation by Accreditation Canada. · A first class diagnostics service, enabling better diagnosis and, where patient required overseas transfer, the provision of clinical information / images essential for the receiving centre.

There was no on-island radiologist or pathologist prior to the opening of the hospital. · Development of locally provided urology services using the skills of a UK trained practitioner with a strong regional reputation. · High patient satisfaction levels.

· The hospitals’ teleconference capabilities support Ministry of Health work between the TCI islands.

“While the challenges of the cost of healthcare provision are a challenge to Governments all over the world, today was an occasion to pause and reflect on how much healthcare has improved here in the TCI in recent times,” said Governor Todd.

“What I saw today were happy, satisfied patients and caring, hard working health professionals doing a great job.”

Desiree Lewis also explained to the Governor the TCI Government plans for the development of long term care and hospice facilities, which would release the Wellness Centre, located on the site of the previous hospital, to be developed for other uses such as psychiatry. Other developments under discussion include: expanding ophthalmology, mammography, echocardiography, neurophysiology, blood donor and transfusion facilities as well as looking to build a medical tourism offering.

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

LOCAL NEWS

15 Turks and Caicos lose land to Civil Recovery Unit and ordered court costs F

ifteen Turks and Caicos Islanders who were give 50n acres of land by the former Derek Taylor and People’s Democratic Movement Administration, have had the property confiscated by the Civil Recovery Unit and the Turks & Caicos Islands Government and they have been ordered to pay legal costs.

The 50 acres of land falls within the Chalk Sound National Park and Pigeon Pond and Frenchman’s Creek Nature Reserve and was seized following legal proceedings brought by the Civil Recovery Team against Holiday Resort Dev., Ltd. The individuals are Samuel Lightbourne Snr., Percy Williams, Enos Gardiner, Christoval Williams, Wendal Swann, Albert Grant, Chris Stubbs, Sydrin Pratt, Tom Lightbourne (deceased), Oswald Williams, Conrad Howell, Edith Cooper, Ivy Cunningham, James O. Rigby and Claridge Wilson.

They are equal shareholders in a company called Holiday Resorts Development Limited, which was incorporated in July 1996 and which had plans to de-

velop a tourist village that would have included condominiums/villas, a hotel, a marina, a convention, a gambling casino, a horse track and an industrial area on 100 acres of land that is part of the Pigeon Pond and Frenchman’s Creek Nature Reserve, which is located close to Silly Creek and Chalk Sound and has a view of West Caicos.

In a writ of summons that was filed in the Supreme Court of the Turks and Caicos Islands on November 24, 2011, the Attorney General along with the Civil Recovery Unit is claiming that the land was obtained by deceit, and that the company and its officials made representations to the Government which it knew to be false and which caused the land to be transferred to them.

The 15 individuals and their company are also being accused of unjust enrichment. According to the court documents which were released the media by CRU head Laurence Harris, of the English law firm Edwards Wildman, the shareholders and the company received freehold title to the land without making any

payments and unjustly enriched themselves at the expense of the Turks and Caicos Islands Government.

“It was, and is, unconscionable for the (company and shareholders) to acquire and retain the land and/or any benefits accruing to it by reason of interests in the land,” the court documents stated.

In a judgment recently handed down after a trial in February 2013, Justice Ramsey Hale ordered parcel 60300/35 to be returned to TCIG. She also ordered the Defendant, Holiday to pay TCIG’s costs of the claim.

Holiday had entered into a Land Freeze Agreement with the Government in July 2002, which provided it with a right to purchase Crown land if it satisfied certain obligations, including the construction of a road linking the site to the Millennium Highway.

It was a term of that agreement that the company would be entitled to set off from the purchase price the costs it incurred in constructing the road.

Parcel 60300/35 was transferred to Holiday Resort Dev., Ltd on 10 January 2008. No payment was made by the company and the transfer indicated that it was in consideration for the work that had been undertaken in constructing the road.

The Court found that the land had been transferred to Holiday Resort Dev., Ltd. under the mistaken belief that Holiday had satisfied its obligations under the Land Freeze Agreement, when it had not. The Court also found that the parties had been mistaken as to the costs incurred in constructing the road, which had been very modest.

Accordingly, the Government was entitled to recover the land and parcel 60300/35 will revert to the Crown.

Attorney General Huw Shepheard commented: “We are pleased to have been successful in this case; this is an important site which will now revert to being Crown Land. It is another success for the Civil Recovery programme being run by Edwards Wildman and Chambers together. This takes the total amount of land recovered under the programme to over 2,500 acres - a very substantial amount of land across the Islands of enormous long term value to the country; and the cash recovered or ordered to be recovered to nearly $19.5m”.

In outlining the background to the case, court documents re-

vealed that the company and its shareholders initially presented a development proposal to Derek Taylor-led People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) in August 1996, which entailed developing a site of around 300 acres in and around West Harbour Bluff. They were informed later that year by TCIG that it would need to find an alternative site for its proposal as the proposed site fell within the Nature Reserve.

In 1997, they made amendments to their proposal and held meetings with representatives of TCIG. However, representatives of TCIG remained concerned over the prospect of protected areas of land being developed for commercial purposes.

In April 1998, TCIG’s Chief Scientific Officer inaccurately advised TCInvest that the Defendant’s proposal did not entail developing an area that fell within the Nature Reserve, although the advice also raised concerns over the development of an area in close proximity to the Nature Reserve.

Following the advice provided by the Chief Scientific Officer, Executive Council (ExC0) granted approval in principle for the Defendant’s proposal to proceed.

This approval was communicated

by TCInvest to the Defendant on 19 May 1998.

By mid 1998, TCIG had received complaints from the Turks and Caicos National Trust that approval in principle had been given for the development of a section of the Nature Reserve. Furthermore, TCInvest had raised concerns as to whether the area should be developed and whether the Defendant would be able to properly finance the development.

In August 1998, meetings took place between John Steer, the Senior Crown Counsel for Commercial matters within the Attorney General’s Chambers, and the company Holiday Resort Development, whereat a possible option agreement was discussed that would provide the company with an opportunity to put together a detailed development plan.

Around the same time, the company raised the idea of constructing a road from the Millennium Highway to the development site, whereby Government would be compensated by receiving a plot of land.

In October 1999, Mr Steer was replaced as Senior Crown Counsel for Commercial matters within the Attorney General’s Chambers by Marsha Cummings.

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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LOCAL NEWS

Five Cays Community Centre vandalized

BY VIVIAN TYSON

T

he once luxurious Five Cays Community Centre, which had been the pride and joy of that residential settlement, is racing down the vandalism slope and fast. And residents of that area and at least one former public official are calling on the authorities to address the matter with alacrity.

The SUN’s attention was drawn to the decay of the facility by residents of the area. They blamed the authorities for its ruining and expressed a desire for it to return to its glory.

When this newspaper visited the facility there were clear signs of vandalism and theft. The computer lab, which youngsters of the community once used as a study centre in the afternoon, has been stripped of all its contents. The auditorium is almost void of all its furniture, including dozens of chairs.

Former Deputy Premier and Minister of Education Youth and Sports, Lillian Boyce part of the aesthetics of the facility is also in ruins. The deck was designed to provide families and other individuals of the community a place to laze. But vandals have stripped both its seating and counter top. It was

over of the government in 2009, and since then nothing was done to address its decline.

Former Member of Parliament for Five Cays and Minister of Education, Youth and Sports, Lillian Boyce, has joined the chorus of people in the community calling for action to stop the neglect of the facility and restore it to the level the students would be able to access it as an educational facility once more. She also

Damaged tables at the facilities

The face of this electrical panel is missing

called for those using the facility as housing to cease doing so, since that was not the intended purpose.

“I want to say how disappointed I am to know that the community centre running down the way it has.

I want those people to cease using it for their personal use because that is not the purpose of the community centre,” she said.

She added that the former Interim Administration could have played a more caring role in the upkeep of the centre, but noted that they did not.

“The community centre was started by the people of Five Cays and, then the government intervened and completed the project.

The purpose of it is for the community of Five Cays but we also agreed that it is for the Turks and Caicos Islands because the government completed it.

“But after the Interim Administration came into place, they were not as generous to the people of Five Cays when they needed the community centre. I believe some of the interests of the community have ceased, so they probably do not see it as their centre anymore. But they need to get back involved,” she urged.

“She added: “The centre was a place that was open daily during the PNP (Progressive National Party) administration, with the computer room that we had funded ourselves from donations abroad. People were coming to do classes. We had a preschool there that was also funded by the government, plus other programmes.”

Against that background, Boyce urged the Rufus Ewing administration to either rebrand the facility or allow the people of the community get back involved in its upkeep. She said members of the community were entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining the centre before the British takeover, and were doing a good job at it.

A ransacked room with splinters from glass winder scattered all over the floor Pieces of furniture at other sections of the building either were removed destroyed or ransacked. A glass counter area to the office was shattered and the contents scattered on the floor. Graffiti was also evident at the facility. In addition to the running down of the building, there are signs that the homeless in the area have been using it to sleep at nights.

A beach-front deck which formed

obvious that the thieves have commenced attempts to shred the facility of its flooring as well, as about two strips of lumber have already been removed.

The residents who spoke with The SUN lay the blame squarely at the feet of the former Interim Administration. They said that the management of the centre was dismantled following the British taking

The beach-front deck at the community has been stripped of its seating and counter top

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LOCAL NEWS

Guards injured in brutal Haitian detention centre escape

BY VIVIAN TYSON

A

t least three female security guards attached to the detention centre in Providenciales are now nursing injuries stemming from a violent escape by approximately 30 Haitians, who were among a group of about 100 that arrived in the Turks and Caicos Islands Monday morning (April 8).

In addition to being trampled upon by the escaping herd of detainees, female security officers manning the section from which the escape occurred were beaten with a piece of lumber, wielded by one of the escapees. The break-out took place approximately minutes past 9p.m. the same day the Haitians arrived by sloop.

Reports reaching The SUN are that, the Haitians, which included women, used the female section of the building as their escape route, kicking over and trampling the helpless female security guards,

before scaling the razor wireequipped chain-link fence to illegal freedom.

It is understood that a number of them, including women, received what could be described as severe cuts in their attempt to vault the security fence.

A security guard at the facility told The SUN that escape opening was created through a female bathroom, which the men inexplicably gained access. The security officer said that the detained women played a conspiring role in the break-out. They said the women were observed praying and singing, while their men worked the escape path.

The noise, the security officer said, effectively drummed out any suspicious sound that would alert the security detail to that section of the building.

Describing the chaotic scene, the female security guard said: “We were sitting at the door (to the female section). We heard the wom-

en signing and praying loudly.

Sometime afterwards, I heard one of women (security) scream, and when I looked I just saw men coming (breaking from of the building and running towards them). They came through the women’s bathroom. They bore a hole up in the roof and came down through it from their section.

“When they start running, a man came with a piece of wood and was licking me and other security officers out of the way. He knocked me on the ground, and some of us got hurt. When he knocked me to the ground, I had to curl myself up because some were just stepping on us and others were jumping over us,” the security officer recounted.

The injured security officer said a number of the detainees, including six women that escaped appeared to have received injuries in their attempt to make it though the razor wires on top of the chainlink fence. She said that she saw one woman in particular, bleeding

profusely from unspecified parts of her body, but still managed to spring the fence and bolted from the property.

“I saw a woman kick one of the officers in the chest and then climbed the fence. The officer was trying to pull her back down when she was climbing the fence. But she (female escapee) got some big cuts, and I think she could have bled to death. And with all that blood that was coming from her she still went over the fence. All of them that jumped the fence got cut, because the way the fence is designed, you can’t jump it unless you get cut,” the security officer further explained.

The Haitian sloop was ushered into port on Monday, by members of the Marine Branch of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force, after it was picked up on the Coastal Radar System. A police source told this newspaper that some of the escapees were captured, but at press time that number could not be ascertained.

Arsonists plague abandoned New Era clinic building Photo: Vivian Tyson

BY VIVIAN TYSON

F

ire Fighters in Providenciales were forced to stand guard on Wednesday morning to watch the abandoned New Era Clinic building located along the Millennium Highway in Providenciales, burn-out after being called to that scene time and time again to put out blazes ignited by arsonists.

Members of the Providenciales Fire and Rescue told The SUN that Wednesday morning’s trek to the scene marked the second time in two days and about five times overall in recent time that they were alerted by residents of the area to fire coming from that building.

The firefighters said that they were alerted to the scene on Tuesday, after residents reportedly noticing flames coming from the building, and when members of the department turned up, they saw the interior of the structure being razed by the inferno.

They told this newspaper that since the building was old and fearing that the arsonists would strike again if they simply douse the flames again - as they did before - the firefighters decided to just monitor the blaze and allow the fire to run its course before departing the scene.

However, on Wednesday morning, they were alerted to the location after being told the arsonists had struck again. This time they set fire to the front exterior of the structure. And so the firefighters, who turned up were decided stake out the scene and monitor the building as it burned once again. They told The SUN that they were ready to tackle the blaze in the event that it got out of hand, since it did not pose a threat to neighbouring

A firefighter monitors the abandoned burning building located along the Millennium Highway in Providenciales properties, decided to just keep an eye on it until it had died down.

The firefighters said they could not determine at the time as to why the arsonists appeared so motivated to see the building burn.

They believe, however, that the best course of action was to have the building burn to the point that there was nothing more to wipe out.

They also expressed concern about the annoyance the fire posed to the residents each time that the building was lit, and wanted to

eliminate that concern entirely by applying such course of action.

The SUN was told that the New Era Clinic building was constructed in the 1990s, but a few months after it was built the owner died.

It was then allowed to enter into a state ruin and also became the subject of vandalism by unscrupulous individuals. It is understood that before the building became the subject destruction, it was plagued by thieves, who stripped it of its contents and construction materials, including roofing.

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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LOCAL NEWS

Decision soon on Clement Howell High School split

BY VIVIAN TYSON

W

ithin a week or so, the country should know whether or not the Clement Howell High School spilt, as announced by government sometime ago, has been settled and when the administration would move to separate the school’s upper tier from the lower level.

The Minister for Education, Youth and Sport Hon. Akierra Missick, explained to reporters, after the launch of the Health and Safety in School initiative at the Enid Capron Primary School in Five Cays on Thursday, April 11, that her ministry had done its part and is now waiting on the Ministry of Government Support Services to iron out the other end of the work.

The Minister then directed the media to Russell Cox, Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Government Support Services, who revealed that the venue had already been identified, but talks were still ongoing in order to tie up all the loose ends.

“We have already completed the conditional surveying of the property, and we are supposed to go

back into meeting as early as next week to finalise if this property is feasible. We will take the result of the conditional survey to our technical persons and we will go forward from there. When everything is finalized, we will pass on the information to the ministers,” Cox explained.

Cox said that of all the properties identified and scouted for a suitable school venue, the site in question easily came out on top, and so there would not be much work to get it fully up to par for the dividing of the school.

In the meantime, Minister Missick said that while the location identified is most suitable, the procurement rules requires that other properties, even if the authorities believe are not up to par for housing such environment, should be able to present themselves as possible candidates. She explained that it is such red tape that has been holding back the progress of the school separation.

“In relation to the Clement Howell splitting, we found a location that we thought would be feasible, but given the procurement rules, which are different now, we are unable to just move in and

Minister of Education, Youth and Sports Hon. Akierra Misick Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Government Support Services, Russell Cox pay rent for it. So, the Government Support Services Ministry members are doing the feasibility studies. After that, then the matter goes to tender.

“So, any other location that feels they are suitable enough can also tender in. It is highly unlikely (that there will be any competition at this stage) because the Ministry of Education has looked at other locations, and from it, this was the best one. But at the end of the day, it gives everyone an opportunity to apply and say, ‘my property is sufficient for what you would like to do’,” she further explained.

In the meantime, Minister Missick said that her Ministry has assembled a think tank, to hammer out the framework for the construction of a new high school on Providenciales.

“And during the National Conversation on Education which will literally be starting next week, we will be able to see what items and what things parents, teachers and students would like to see at the new property, so that we can develop that new property over the next 24 months, and then look at fixing the new institutions around the country,” Minister Missick elucidated.

Turks & Caicos Police Force Receives Communications Server from Tourist Board T

he Turks and Caicos Tourist Board today announced the turning over of their internal communications server to the Royal Turks and Caicos Police Force.

Director of the Turks and Caicos Tourist Board, Mr. Ralph Higgs commented, “We are elated to assist our stable partners with the necessary resources to help them maximize proficiency.” Mr. Higgs continues, “We hope the transmission of this server will help to expedite the services the Royal Turks and Caicos Police Force already offer to our visitors and locals alike.”

According to Police Constable Kevin Clarke, “The Royal Turks and Caicos Police Force greatly appreciate the donation of the server. It will be an asset to the I.T. Department. Our line users who require daily use will be more than happy for this donation.”

The server will be used for data and storage collection, and to maintain the road safety database. The server will be housed in a secure location to ensure its protection and service longevity.

“As Senior Police Officer with responsibili-

ty for Operations, I am delighted to accept this gift on behalf of the Royal Turks and Caicos Police Force and it will certainly go a long way in assisting us from an I.T. perspective,” says Acting Deputy Commissioner Rodney Adams. “Our partnership with the Turks and Caicos Tourist Board is one that has continued through the years and one that we cherish very much.

It is a partnership that I am sure will continue through the years and will be beneficial to law and order, and tourism for the Turks and Caicos Islands.”

LEARN AND LEAD EDUCATION CENTER TO HOST FREE AUTISM SESSION

R

ealizing that there is a dearth of information on Autism in the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Learn & Lead Education Center and The Dawn Program for Autism will be staging a free awareness session on that matter on Thursday, April 18.

The event will be held at the Learn & Lead Education Center the Bight. The session coincides with Autism Month, which is observed in April of each year.

The programme is being spearheaded by Educational Consultant Yolande Robinson, who stated that the cases of Autism in TCI could be a lot higher than originally thought, but since there is no real mechanism to gauge the figure, the real figure remains unclear.

“The center for disease control in the United States now states that one in every 50 children may be on the Autism Spectrum. Here in the Turks and

Caicos Islands, we have yet to solidify hard numbers due to the broad range of symptoms and lack of public awareness. However, both public and private schools will report that children displaying symptoms of ASD are in our school system.

“Recognizing the needs for public awareness and effective strategies, Learn & Lead Educational Center and The Dawn Program for Autism and Behavior Sciences are coming together to provide a free information session for the community. The goal of this session is to provide general information and practical strategies in order to expand the initiative of empowerment to those in our community who are living and working with children diagnosed or undiagnosed as ASD,” she explained.

The event will is to last two hours - 6:30pm to 8:00pm, and interested persons are asked to regis-

ter online at www.learnandleadec.com or call 946 8513. Space is limited.

The Dawn Program for Autism and Behavioral Sciences is a faith-based agency founded February 1, 2010 by Nicole and Devon Cox. This agency was created to provide access to services and resources related to Applied Behavior Analysis for individuals, families and institutions of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Learn and Lead Educational Center was established in 2008 by Yolande and Jamell Robinson. L & L provides a variety of services to students, parents, teachers, schools, communities and businesses. Its mission is to provide a confidential, caring, creative and compassionate environment where all individuals are empowered and taught how to recognize and optimize their full potential.

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

LOCAL NEWS

Philippines U.S. based embassy investigates detention of their nationals by local officials A

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team of diplomats from the Philippines Embassy in Washington visited the Turks and Caicos Islands to investigate the circumstances under which more than a dozen of their nationals were rounded up and carted off to the detention centre in Providenciales a few days ago.

Both the Immigration Department and the Philippines Community have been muted on the matter. Calls to the department to shed light on the issue were not immediately returned, while a member of the Philippines Community said that they could not comment officially on the issue at this time but promised to issue a news release on the matter at a later date.

An immigration source told The SUN however, that the Philippines nationals were imprisoned because they did not have work permit documentation to work in the Turks and Caicos. The source said some were taken of their jobs while others were picked up at different points in Providenciales.

And while the Philippines Community has been mum as to why their fellow nationals were holed up at the detention centre, one of their colleagues said that they were indeed held on work permit violations. He said that they have been working for bosses who refused to pay their work permit fees, forcing them to become undocumented workers against their will.

The source said that the Philippines nationals expressed a desire to leave the country, and since some did not have enough money to fund their trip, decided to work so as to save enough to purchase airfare tickets.

The sources said however, that they deemed it unfair for the Philippines na-

tionals to be taken off their jobs and bused to the detention centre, while their bosses apparently getting off scot free.

The source said the matter was reported to the Philippines Embassy in Washington, and as a result, a team was dispatched to the Turks and Caicos to conduct investigations. The source said that the team met with local officials, the detainees as well as members of the general Philippines Community here.

The SUN understands that at press time, the team of diplomats was still in the Turks and Caicos Islands holding talks with both local officials and members of the Philippines national living here, so as to work out a solution that would bring the situation to an amicable end.

The Philippines Community is one of the strongest and most vibrant expatriate blocs in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Many of them have integrated into the local community, especially through marriage or common union.

They are regarded as being among the most resourceful of the expat community here. Many of them came with some of the most technical professions under their belt and many years of experience to back them up.

Among the population are teachers, doctors, engineers, aviation experts, graphics designers, web designers and experts in the tourism field.

The SUN was informed a little while back that based on the strength of the Philippines Community, their government was considering setting up a consulate in the Turks and Caicos Islands. It is not clear however, what stage that plan is at

PREMIER RUFUS EWING LEADS DELEGATION TO REGION’S PREMIER SUSTAINABLE TOURISM CONFERENCE ~Premier Dr. Rufus Ewing will present on how small developing states can advance destination sustainability during economic downturn ~ - The Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), Dr. Rufus Ewing will lead a two-man team to the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO)’s 14th annual Sustainable Tourism Conference which opens in the Trinidad and Tobago capital, Port of Spain, next week.

This will be Dr. Ewing’s first CTO event since he was elected Premier last November. Dr. Ewing also took the tourism portfolio late last month as part of a cabinet reshuffle.

In addition to attending the various sessions, the TCI Premier will make a presentation on how the Turks and Caicos Islands and small developing states can continue to advance destination sustainability in the context of the ongoing economic downturn and with limited resources.

“Rest assured that the Turks and Caicos Islands has a great presentation to make in this regard based on our experiences over the past five years,” Dr. Ewing said. The TCI hosted the 10th Sustainable Tourism Conference CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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LOCAL NEWS

Government launches schools Health and Safety Programme

BY VIVIAN TYSON

I

n an effort to curtail the spread of especially communicable diseases in schools, the Ministries of Education, Health and Government Support Services, in conjunction with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) have launched an initiative to promote health and safety in schools.

The launch took place at the Enid Capron Primary School in Five Cays, on Thursday, April 11, and was attended by Minister for Education, Youth, Sports and Culture Hon. Akierra Missick; Minister for Health and Human Services Hon. Porsha Stubbs-Smith and officials from all three ministries.

Dr. Jamillah Berry, Health Planner in the Ministry of Health and Human Services said that the expected outcome of the project is to see a reduction of communicable diseases in schools and the wider community. She said the programme is geared to foster proper hand-washing technique and to improve sanitary condition at all public schools’ lavatory, including those that are marked as shelters in the wake of emergencies and disasters.

Berry revealed that Got You Covered Diversity has been contracted to install dispensers and other sanitation accoutrements at the schools

From left Russell Cox, Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Government Support Services; Minister of Education Hon. Akierra Missick and Hon. Porsha Stubbs, Minister Health and Human Services, display a plague that was delivered by CDEMA. with the support of the Public Works Department (PWD) and the Environmental Health Department. All the schools are to be outfitted with the sanitation amenities by the end of May, according to Berry, who said the Enid Capron Primary School would be the first to receive theirs.

Berry told the audience that the rogramme was made possible through CDEMA, under its Living School Initiative, following a proposal by the three ministries, for a grant.

“The Living School Initiative is an expansion of the School Safety Initiative established by CDEMA in corporation with the Caribbean Community (Caricom), Brazil and the Food and Agriculture Organization, to promote a culture of disaster prepared-

ness within the schools community through sensitization of children in education stakeholders on the issue of disaster risk management. And contribute to ensuring a save environment through training and safe construction technology and retrofitting of the schools’ plan.

“Two proposals were submitted for funding. Under the Living Schools Initiative Phase One Project, the Department of Education proposed to conduct two critical incident management capacity-building workshops for public schools administrators, teachers and Parent/Teachers Association members - one in Grand Turk and to cover Zone One and One in Providenciales to cover Zone Two. These workshops are scheduled to take place in early May. These workshops are to provide attendees with the tools necessary to develop and execute a critical incident management plan in their respective schools,” Berry explained.

In endorsing the programme, Minister Stubbs-Smith said that since students spend approximately 1,200 hours a year in school, it is the responsibility of government and the wider society to ensure that they are kept healthy, by providing the ideal environment conducive to their learning and well-being.

“It is also evident that incidents

happen in life. At times we face challenges and threats that can potentially overwhelm our system. We saw a few cases of that this year. Preparation is critical as a means of overcoming such challenges. Like all countries around the world, the TCI is at risk from all communicable disease outbreaks, critical incidents, disasters – natural or man-made. Children are our future, and it is our job to protect them,” Minister Stubbs-Smith stated.

For her part, Minister Missick pointed out that the initiative was a welcome one for her and her ministry, since some schools underwent a series of attacks, including the dreaded norovirus, in recent time.

“But not only we had an issue of biological or viral attacks on the schools, we have human attacks on the schools, in which some students decided that, instead of having our schools as centres of learning – in particularly our high school – they would use these centres of learning to their advantage and actually hurting other students or attacking the property,” she said.

Missick further noted that the initiative signifies that government alone are unable to drive the measures needed to make the country successful, but requires the assistance from non-affiliated groups.

Other Speakers at the event were Dr. Virginia Clerveaux, Director for the Department of Disaster Management and Emergency, and Russell Cox, Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Government Support Services.

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LOCAL NEWS POSITION AVAILABLE COSMETOLOGIST Must be experienced working as a cosmetologist.

Applicant must have pleasant personality and excellent customer service skills.

Be able to work independently Be willing to work flexible hours Kindly respond to The Manager Nay’s Beauty Shop Providenciales

Contact 245-9594

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14

(STC-10) in 2008 and, at STC-11 in 2010, reported progress in a number of important areas.

Dr. Ewing will be joined by the head of the secretariat in the Office of the Premier, Ronlee James.

STC-14 begins with an official opening ceremony which is scheduled to start at 6:45 P.M. on Monday 15 April at the Hyatt Regency in Port of Spain. Prime Minister Kamla Persaud Bissessar is scheduled to address the opening, with Carlos Vogeler, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)’s point man in the Americas, down to deliver the keynote address.

Themed, “Keeping the Right Balance: Enhancing Destination Sustainability Through Products, Partnerships and Profitability,” the conference will explore ways the Caribbean can enhance destination sustainability and competitiveness in the current global environment by examining a number of critical issues.

For more information on STC14, including how to participate, visit www.caribbeanstc.com.

The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), with headquarters in Barbados and offices in New York and London, is the Caribbean’s tourism development agency comprising membership of over 30 countries and territories including Dutch, English, French and Spanish, as well as a myriad of private sector allied members. The CTO’s vision is to position the Caribbean as the most desirable, year round, warm weather destination by 2017, and its purpose is Leading Sustainable Tourism - One Sea, One Voice, One Caribbean.

Among the benefits to its members the organization provides specialized support and technical assistance in sustainable tourism development, marketing, communications, advocacy, human resource development, research and information technology.

In addition the CTO, in partnership with the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association, jointly and equally owns the Caribbean Tourism Development Company, a marketing and business development entity dedicated to promoting the Caribbean brand worldwide.

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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LOCAL NEWS

Provo Readers Club gets overseas responses

EMPLOYMENT REGISTRATION DRIVE

T

BY VIVIAN TYSON

T

he ailing Providenciales Readers Club could get a shot in the arm soon, thanks to at least three kind-hearted individuals from overseas who said that they read the article in The SUN and have decided to help.

Recently, Head of the Readers Club, Dulcine Hall, said that the programme was in crisis, since it was running out of materials and had become challenge to accommodate the number of children that it would normally provide for, during its oncea-week staging.

Hall said, at the time of the interview, that the Readers Club was short on books, pencils, crayons, paints and art and craft supplies. She said that as a result of the entity not having enough materials, participants were beginning to drop out.

In addition, Hall said that the club was seeking persons to sponsor T-shirts with logo for the participating children, so that they can be identified as members of that fraternity. At least one of the persons that have come forward to assist has business interest in the TCI. But after seeing the article, persons have decided to resuscitate the club. One responder wrote: “We were visiting Provo last week and I picked up your paper and read the article about Provo Readers (Club) being in need of supplies. Would you be able to direct me in how to get in contact with the guild to donate needed supplies? I am a teacher in the United States and have access to materials they may find useful. I appreciate your assistance.”

Another individual wrote: “I am emailing you from Montreal Quebec; we own a town house in Provo and just returned from a recent visit. You

Dulcine Hall had an article, in your recent edition, soliciting assistance for the Provo Readers Club. Our family would be interested in trying to assist. Specifically, we were thinking of approaching the Westmount Public Library’s Children’s Department (In Canada) to discuss how we may proceed.”

The Providenciales Readers Club entertains children between the ages five and 11, and Hall said that while enough materials were on hand for the younger children, the ones between seven and 11 years did not have enough objects to work with.

She said the club was also seeking the services of volunteers to assist with the programme. The Providenciales Readers Club is held on Saturdays between the hours of 10a.m. and 12noon.

Other persons desirous of making contributions to the Provo Readers Club can reach Hall at 1-649243-3288.

he Employment Services Department of The Turks & Caicos Islands in conjunction with the TCI Hotel and Tourism Association will be hosting an Employment Registration Drive in Providenciales on April 16th at the Gustavus Lightbourne Sports Center from 10am to 6pm.

The Employment Registration is part of a program that we are launching to encourage those that are unemployed to register and utilize the services of the Employment Services Department. We have also invited representatives from NHIP and NIB to be present to facilitate with questions and entitlements that those who are unemployed may have.

During this initial drive we will have representatives from the various hotels/resorts bringing presentations to familiarize individuals of the opportunities that exist in the industry, the expectations of an employer, what the employer looks for when hiring and opportunities for upward mobility in the industry. There will also be employees (from hotels/resorts) present to relay their success stories.

Also during this event we have extended an invitation to the Graduating Class of 2013 from the high schools on island to pre-register them. The pre-registration is to better assist them with summer employment and for those remaining in the Turks & Caicos who will be seeking full time employment.

We have asked the principals of each institution to confirm attendance and time so that a presentation or two can be catered directly to them.

TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS NATIONAL INSURANCE BOARD

TENDER NOTICE FOR PROVIDING SECURITY SERVICES The National Insurance Board hereby invites tenders from established Security Companies with experience of at least five years in the field to provide Security Services for its offices on the Islands of Grand Turk and Providenciales.

CONTACT INFORMATION Interested eligible bidders should contact the National Insurance Board for detailed specification for tendering at the following address: MISS RHESA CARTWRIGHT, DEPUTY DIRECTOR CORPORATE SERVICES NATIONAL INSURANCE BOARD HILLY A EWING BUILDING PROVIDENCIALES TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS Tel: (649) 941 5806/5906 Fax: (649) 941 5854

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Dolphin Cove TCI Grand Turk Park JOB DESCRIPTIONS JOB TITLE

HOURLY RATE

EDUCATION

DECRIPTION

1

Hair braider

50% of sales collected by company

N/A

Must be fluent in English. Previous experience in a similar role preferred, but not essential. Must be able to meet the requirements of guest requests regarding their hair styling to suit the “Caribbean” look wanted. Handle customer service with a positive attitude.

2

Pottery craftsman/ salesperson

50% of sales collected by company

N/A

Must be fluent in English. Previous artist experience required (portfolio to show preferred). Must have the ability to make items on the spot, previous experience selling items required. Handle customer service with a positive attitude.

3

Artist/painter/salesperson

50% of sales collected by company

Relevant qualifications and previous experience

Must be fluent in English. Previous artist experience required (portfolio to show preferred). Must have the ability to paint items on the spot, previous experience selling items required. Handle customer service with a positive attitude.

4

Coconut water vendor

50% of sales collected by company

N/A

Must be fluent in English. Previous experience selling items preferred, but not essential. Needs to source coconuts themselves, as well as prepare for guests. Handle customer service with a positive attitude.

5

Gift shop attendant

$8 US/hr

High school degree

Must be fluent in English. Must have knowledge and experience of working with the public in a professional manner. Must be computer literate. Must have knowledge of QB P.O.S system (or the ability to learn). Applicant must be outgoing, confident and work well independently, as well as with others. Ability to work weekends and holidays. Dealing with and serving guests on a daily basis. Stocktaking and presentation. Able to handle large amounts of guests in short periods, be organized, not get flustered easily, and has to have a great attitude. Should be able to lift 40lbs

6

Photo/video operator

$8 US/hr

High school degree, no prior experience needed

Printing all the pictures of the daily operations, organize the photos by group, control of the prints, control of the supplies for photo as paper, inks, general use of the equipment. Fluent in English. Must be able to work weekends and holidays. Applicant should be a strong swimmer, willing to clean docks, skim, lift 50lbs work outdoors and interact with guests.

7

Photo/video supervisor

$15 US/hr

High school degree

Minimum 2 years experience in a similar position. Knowledge of staff scheduling. Responsible for training and tracking staff performance. Oversee the printing of photos and use of equipment. Fluent in English. Handle customer service with a positive attitude. Applicant should be a strong swimmer, willing to clean docks, skim, lift 50lbs, work outdoors and interact with guests.

8

Security guard

$6 US/hr

High school degree, relevant qualifications

Minimum 2 years experience in a similar position. Responsible for maintaining total safety of the property and animals at all times. Must be able to work nights and weekends when required.

$20 US/hr

Diploma/certificate or equivalent education in captive wildlife animal husbandry, wildlife or related field; or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

Minimum 8 years experience working with marine mammals, in-depth knowledge of operant conditioning, good understanding of marine mammals, advanced biology and ecology. Responsible for health and training of animals and staff. Knowledge of standard operating procedures and knows how to carry out an interactive program with dolphins in a safe and educational fashion. Knowledge of staff scheduling. Responsible for training and tracking staff performance. Overseeing daily program operations. Fluent in English. Applicant should be a strong swimmer, willing to clean docks, skim, lift 50lbs, work outdoors and interact with guests.

$12 US/hr

Diploma/certificate or equivalent education in captive wildlife animal husbandry, wildlife or related field; or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

Minimum 3 years experience working with marine mammals, high proficiency in basic biology and ecology, Health and Training Animals. Minimum 3 years experience working within an interactive setting. Operant conditioning general knowledge. Physically healthy and able to lift approximately 50 pounds. Must be able to work in all weather conditions Applicants must be able to work nights, weekends and holidays. Daily duties include, but are not limited to: feeding, inspecting and observing the collection; implementing veterinary procedures; ordering medications when needed; nutrition and enrichment programs; interactive programs; daily record keeping; trains new behaviors deemed appropriate for programs as well as a possible show. Must be fluent in English.

9

10

Senior dolphin trainer

Dolphin trainer

11

Dolphin handler

$6 US/hr

High school degree, no prior experience needed

Minimum 1 years experience working with animals, basic biology and ecology. Minimum 1 years experience working within an interactive setting. Operant conditioning general knowledge. Physically healthy and able to lift approximately 50 pounds. Must be able to work in all weather conditions. Applicants must be able to work nights, weekends and holidays. Daily duties include, but are not limited to greeting and interacting with guests upon arrival; general husbandry of all animals; daily diet preparation; daily cleaning of lagoon, including scrubbing of walls; daily interactive programs; orientation and educate guest about excursion; maintain current trained behaviors. Responsible for the daily care and husbandry of all dolphins. Must be fluent in English.

12

Maintenance

$8 US/hr

Technical studies

Repairs and maintenance of store equipment, construction, electrical, air-conditioning, under water maintenance, fencing and execute all maintenance activities indicated by the supervisor.

13

Gardener/ landscape engineer

$8 US/hr

Previous experience required

Minimum 3 years experience. Ability to work outdoors, tendering professional care to nature trail, trees, shrubs, and flowers. Responsible for keeping the soil in good condition, plant bulbs, flowers, shrubs, or trees, water, feed, transplant, and prune. Willing to work with environmentally friendly chemicals to control insects, disease, and weeds. Move benches and picnic tables, responsible for picking up litter and emptying trashcans.

$8 US/hr

Diploma/certificate or equivalent education in captive wildlife animal husbandry, wildlife or related field; or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

Applicant must be outgoing, self-motivated. Applicant must have ability to work outdoors, tendering professional care to nature trail and animals (love birds, macaws, flamingos, donkey, snakes). Applicant must have the drive to go above and beyond, be creative, work well with others as well as independently. Responsibilities include daily care, preparing diets and exhibit maintenance. Must be able to work weekends and holidays. Applicant should be a strong swimmer, willing to clean docks, skim, work outdoors and interact with guests.

High school degree

Applicant must be outgoing, self-motivated. Applicant must have ability to work outdoors, tendering professional care all touch tank animals. Applicant must have vast knowledge of aquarium equipment. Applicant must have the drive to go above and beyond, be creative, work well with others as well as independently. Responsibilities include daily care, preparing diets and exhibit maintenance. Must be able to work weekends and holidays. Applicant should be a strong swimmer, willing to clean docks, skim, work outdoors and interact with guests.

High school degree, relevant Diploma

Minimum 2 yrs experience in similar position, must possess strong interpersonal skills, must be well organized and speak English. Know procedures and rules governing reservations and cancellation, daily reports, guest list verification, provide information and personalized attention reception of guest, design programs for tourist attractions, Maintain clear communication with all cruise ship Shore Excursion Managers via emails and telephone, Investigate whether condition, Review accurately each program and clubs with sufficient time according to cruise ship schedules, Prepare and execute changes between each department assisting in the programs. Resolve or assist detail problems, Record and file all incident reports.

$15 US/hr

High school degree

Minimum 2 yrs experience in similar position, must possess strong interpersonal skills, must be well organized and speak English. Know procedures and rules governing reservation and cancellation, daily reports, guest list verification, reception of guests, provide information and personalized attention, check in guests, issue reservation and performance report, Labour legislation compliances, supervise staff recruitment, staff rotation, training programs, contract expiration control, director’s personal assistant, prepare immigration paper work maintain hard copy and electronic filing system, create and modify documents using Microsoft Office, perform general Clerical duties including but not limited to: photocopying, faxing, mailing, filing and answer telephones.

$35 US/hr

Degree in Business Management

14

Animal attendant

15

Touch tank presenter

16

Cruise ship coordinator/ Shore-ex relationship manager

17

Reservations/ administration/ bookkeeper/ cruise ship relationship person

18

19

General manager

Assistant manager

$8 US/hr

$10 US/hr

$15 US/hr

A minimum of 7 years experience in Managing Dolphin Parks facility operations and management. Supervise the operation of all areas on the location. Sales and Marketing of the facility. Report to corporate offices regarding the operation and sales budgets and expenditure. Hold regular meetings with supervisors in order to guarantee optimal communication and daily feedback. Ensure goals are reached and supervise/ reward accomplishments. Knowledge of the Dolphin Cove Reservations Program is essential. Daily Sales Report to the Corporate Directors. Plan and coordinate additional maintenance and security activities. Over see the safety of the staff and animals. Prepare facility and staff for hurricane season.

Must have diploma in higher education or relevant degree.

A minimum of 3 years experience in assistant managing Dolphin Park facility operations and management. Assist general manager with duties such as supervise the operation of all areas on the location. Sales and Marketing of the facility. Report to corporate offices regarding the operation and sales budgets and expenditure. Hold regular meetings with supervisors in order to guarantee optimal communication and daily feedback. Ensure goals are reached and supervise/ reward accomplishments. Knowledge of the Dolphin Cove Reservations Program is essential. Daily Sales Report to the Corporate Directors. Plan and coordinate additional maintenance and security activities. Over see the safety of the staff and animals. Prepare facility and staff for hurricane season.

20

Cleaning person

$6 US/hr

High School Degree,

Must have knowledge and experience in working with the public in a professional manner. Must have at least 2 years experience in dealing with germicidal and mixing of chemicals; applicant should be very organized and work well unsupervised and a great team player, ability to work holidays and weekends a must. Applicant will maintain and clean offices, gift shop, restroom and surroundings; will report to managers/supervisors to ensure task assigned are properly completed, inform managers/supervisor of inventory to ensure adequate supply. Should be able to lift 40 pounds.

21

Sales and marketing manager

$12 US/hr

High School Degree, relevant Diploma

Handles direct sales, attend different kind of clients, delivering brochures, assistant on the checking area, promotion and advertising and have the capability to hear complaints, comments and suggestions from customers and get solutions to them, get occupancy list, do daily reports, follow all the supervisor instructions. Must be bi-lingual. Must be computer literate.

22

Food and beverage vendor

$8 US/hr

High School Degree

Must have knowledge and experience of working with the public in a professional manner. Have at least 1-year experience in service industry and working with money and be excellent at mathematics. Applicant should be confident, self-motivated, and work well independently, as well as with others. Possess a friendly and outgoing attitude. High energy. Ability to work weekends and holidays. Taking orders, and serving guests. Stocktaking and presentation. Able to handle large amounts of guests in short periods, be organized, not get flustered easily, and has to have a great attitude. Should be able to lift 40lbs

23

1 man band

$15 US/hr

High school degree, musical qualifications

Applicant must be able to provide live music and entertainment for guests. Applicant must be able to work weekends and nights when required.

24

Pirate presenter

$8 US/hr

High school degree

Looking for any persons with a physical disability that has the potential to fulfill the “pirate presenter” role needed to entertain guests.

Has the ability to serve as an effective “Master of Ceremonies”, applicants must be capable of being a patient listener while making the guests feels at home, proficiency to read, write and effectively communicate in English.

PLEASE EMAIL YOUR RESUME TO NEIL BURROWES AT: NEIL@CDC.KY

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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LOCAL NEWS

Integrity Commission Statement On Current Declarations And Issuance Of Certificates Of Compliance

BY EUGENE OTUONYE, Q.C. DIRECTOR, TCI INTEGRITY COMMISSION

1. Section 25 of the Integrity Commission Ordinance 2008 as amended (the Ordinance) requires all persons in public life, to file with the Integrity Commission (the Commission) declarations of their incomes, assets and liabilities (Sec.25 Declarations) once every two years on or before the 30 June of the year in which filing is required. The declarations for the current filing cycle covered the period April 1, 2010 to March 31, 2012. (20102012 cycle) 2. The deadline for the 2010-2012 cycle was 30 June, 2012. The Commission however extended this time mainly for the first time declarants from the statutory and other public bodies who became persons in public life as a result of the expansion of the list of persons in public life on March 2012.

3. First time declarants outside the 2010-2012 cycle are however required to file their Section 25 Declarations within 90 days of becoming persons in public life. Hon. Members of the House of Assembly (Hon Members) fell into this category, with the exception of those who had previously filed as persons in public life by virtue of their previous public posts. Having been elected and subsequently sworn in during November, 2012, these Hon. Members had until February 2013 to file their Section 25 Declarations.

4. In addition, all Hon. Members were required to file with the Commission, Statements of their Registrable interests in accordance with Section 36B of the Ordinance and Section 103 of the Constitution.

5. The Commission can now confirm that: (i) As at March 31, 2013, a total of 308 persons in public life (including Hon. Members) were expected to file their Section 25 Declarations with the Commission. (ii) Out of this number, 295 persons (including

Hon. Members) or about 96% filed their declarations with the Commission. 13 persons (or 4%) are yet to file. (iii) All the Hon. Members of the House (including the Ministers) have, in addition, filed their Statements of Registrable Interests with the Commission. As required by the law, these interests include particulars of directorship or investment in companies; contracts with government, beneficial interest in land, funds to which a member contributes; sources of income; political, trade or professional associations to which a member belongs, etc.

Examination of Declarations and Issuance of Certificates 6. In accordance with Section 13 of the Integrity Commission Ordinance, the Commission began to examine these declarations shortly after the initial deadline of June 30, 2012. Following the first-phase examinations of these declarations, the Commission can further confirm that: (i) The Certificates of Compliance have now been issued to 124 persons in public life out of 295 declarants that filed. The Commission is communicating with these persons in writing as to when and where to collect their Certificates of Compliance. (ii) The examination of other declarations is an on-going process and more Certificates of Compliance will be issued in due course as the Commission is satisfied that full and true disclosures have been made. No adverse inference should therefore be drawn at this stage against a person to whom no Certificate of Compliance has yet been issued. Indeed the Commission will not make any adverse decision (including refusal of Certificate of Compliance) without giving the declarant affected the opportunity to be heard.

7. With respect to Statements of Registrable Interests filed by Hon Members of the House, these are also being examined, after which they will be compiled in a Register called Register

of Interests and published next month, May, 2013. A copy of the Register will be made available for public inspection at the Commission’s office during normal office hours. The Register will also be made available for public inspection at the House of Assembly during every sitting of the House.

8. Confidentiality of Section 25 Declarations: Unlike Statement of Registrable Interests, Section 25 declarations of incomes, assets and liabilities by persons in public life are strictly confidential and not for the public domain. A breach of this confidentiality obligation is a criminal offence with severe penalties. The Commission therefore reiterates its commitment to continue its strict enforcement of these confidentiality obligations as set out in the Ordinance.

9. Failure to file, etc: Failure, without reasonable excuse, to file a declaration or filing an incomplete or untrue declaration is a criminal offence. The Commission is also committed to enforcing the provisions of the Ordinance in this respect.

Eugene Otuonye QC, Director of the Integrity Commission stated that “The Commission is indeed pleased to note that, although the number of persons in public life increased by about 100% during the current cycle, there was more than 95% compliance rate. This high compliance rate clearly demonstrates the commitment to integrity, honesty and good faith in public life by the people of Turks and Caicos Islands. The Commission therefore commends all persons in public life in TCI, and is grateful for the continuing public confidence in and support for work of the Commission as an anti-corruption agency” For further information or any assistance please contact the Integrity Commission: By phone at: 9461941(Office); 232-3455; 4326173 (Compliance Officers) or 2318886 (Director) By e-mail at: secretary@integritycommission. tc or info@integritycommission.tc

Fifteen University Of The West Indies Scholars Receive Cibc Firstcaribbean International Bank Scholarships C

IBC FirstCaribbean International Bank is firmly committed to supporting regional development through its contribution to the tertiary education of the region’s young people. Since 2003, the bank has sustained its partnership with the University of the West Indies by funding joint initiatives which support the development of the UWI and its students across the region.

Through its registered charitable foundation, the FirstCaribbean International Comtrust Foundation Ltd., the bank awards fifteen scholarships annually, each valued at US$2,500. The scholarships are awarded to undergraduate and graduate students, in any discipline, on any of the three campuses.

“The bank is keen to assist the UWI in ensuring that its graduates in banking, financial services and

related areas are well-rounded individuals who are capable of taking their place as leaders in the Caribbean community,” commented chairman of the Comtrust Foundation, Mr. Michael Mansoor.

The scholarship winners were delighted to receive their awards from the bank, with many of them expressing heart-felt appreciation.

Commented Danielia Chambers a Jamaican national who is pursuing her Bachelor of Laws degree, “I was quite pleased to learn that I was a recipient of the CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank Scholarship. Your financial generosity has allowed me to be one step closer to my goal and has inspired me to help others by giving back to the community. I hope one day I will be able to help other students achieve their goal just as you have helped me. ”

Barbadian Gale Ann Jordan, pursuing her Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and Finance at Cave Hill echoed those sentiments: “Receiving this award is truly a blessing and it will do far more than just meeting my maintenance costs, books and fees. It will serve as a tangible representation of what hard work, persistence, dedication and sacrifice can really do. I truly feel celebrated. I am officially no longer just another Accounting and Finance student pursuing a degree at the University of the West Indies, I am now an investment, your investment and I am honoured. ” Kathrina Watson, a second year Law student at the Cave Hill Campus thanked the bank for believing in her and giving her the opportunity to achieve her dreams. She said: “I appreciate the move you have made

Anitra George receiving her scholarship award from Mark St. Hill, Managing Director Operating Company, CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank. to partner with the University of the West Indies. I truly applaud your initiative to lend a helping hand to those who are working hard and are in need of help. I do appreciate it.

Thank you CIBC FirstCaribbean.”

The Comtrust Foundation is the governing body for the bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives. It ensures that 1 percent of the bank’s profits after tax annually is committed to important causes, which contribute to the social health of the Caribbean.

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LOCAL NEWS

TALKING LAW AT A HIGHER LEVEL: Reply to “Let’s talk law”

BY COURTENAY BARNETT

I

noted in the April 6th to 12th edition of the Weekly News an article by Attorney David Cadman, entitled “Proposed changes to the legal profession in Turks and Caicos.”

Mr. Cadman’s points are welcomed and the salient issues he raised were:• Public confidence in the legal profession.

• Complaints procedures against lawyers.

• Compulsory undertaking of certain cases.

• Preserving client-attorney relationship.

Each of these topics is important to lawyers and is of equivalent significance for the public at large.

PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION Two points arise. One, is the integrity of the individual lawyer or the law firm. The second, is related to the first, in that any lawyer’s transgression afflicting a client needs a fair and credible complaints procedure for fair adjudication and resolution. The problem in the TCI, in the latter regard, is the small size of the Bar, and the related and consequential problem of having an impartial tribunal judge the complaint. It might be possible to establish a three tier system of first, a three person independent panel of lawyers hearing the matter at first instance, and being required to provide a reasoned written decision. If the decision made proves satisfactory to the complainant and the lawyer, there would not be an appeal. If the decision is appealed then the Court of Appeal would make another possible intended final determination. The severe implications of disciplinary decisions, in certain situations (such as disbarment), would of necessity require a third and final appellate tier to the Privy Council.

Engagement with the public, on a number of levels can also do much to build confidence. It is largely a historical truism that lawyers and judicial systems globally have not been popular with the citizenry. That fact in itself is part of the problem, while the degree of suspicion or distrust is at the nub of the difficulty if public confidence levels sink beneath tolerable levels of distrust.

Regular press columns on areas of the law; introducing procedures for speed of case conclusion must be in the public interest and inevitably boost public confidence; restoring the practice of court users meeting, thus permitting the justice system to be proactive and not merely reactive ( Chief Justice Gardner is to be commended for this practice which has now gone into disuse); depoliticise the judiciary; establish mechanisms that remain vigilant while continually questioning and objectively answering the question – are persons being treated fairly by the judicial system? In summary, what will bring and/or restore confidence in the justice system are these factors - access to justice for all; timeliness in addressing all areas of the administration of justice; equality, fairness and integrity as barometers; ensuring accountability and judicial independence (which is especially hard in a Dependent Territory; in this context, this is what I had in mind when earlier I said “depolticise the judiciary” – no Judge should be the “Governor’s poodle”).

A democratic and objective starting point would be a properly structured and publicly

funded survey to ascertain the actual degree of public distrust of the legal profession, and areas of public concern about the functioning of the justice system as a whole.

COMPLAINTS PROCEDURES AGAINST LAWYERS In fact, serious credibility and integrity issues are raised about the legal profession, from recent SIPT findings. Instituting the above suggested procedures would therefore do much to restore public confidence in the legal profession.

COMPULSORY UNDERTAKING OF CERTAIN CASES This simply will not work. The client, and here we are speaking of indigent people on legal aid, should be afforded equal justice. A corporate or real estate legal specialist is precisely that. An advocate in the criminal court has that skill set.

Simply placing by edict or compulsion the apple on the pear’s plate or vice versa, does not change the nature and essence of the product. Similarly, neither does a client want to be lumbered with an inadequately or inappropriately placed professional.

It would be like a bad marriage, compelling the unwilling lawyer to defend the displeased client, who was denied his choice of defence attorney. England rejected this approach, and so should the TCI. Also, if a “public defender” system were introduced, this is unsatisfactory for reasons of delimiting the criminal defendant’s choice while denying the option of choosing from a wider range of legal talent.

The real problem is not the unavailability of defence counsel on a legal aid basis in the TCI; rather it is a manifest unavailability of adequate funding for counsel of worth to work within the legal aid system. It is disgraceful, that an entire judicial system should attempt to function in this way, merely to save a few coins. If money really is the problem, then ss. 8 and 9 of the West Indies Act, 1962, once applied, provide the solution:-

argued for legal clarification for the obtaining of a final and binding decision. This practice, in a most arbitrary way, has now been dispensed with, be it for legal aid grants in the instance of quasi-criminal applications, or the grant of reasonable and fair uplifts when novel or complex points arise in criminal trials. There remains a marked contrast between the generously funded special prosecution political cases, relative to the derisory rates of pay for the local criminal defence Bar. In this regard, justice is being slaughtered on the altar of financial expediency . This is the reason why lawyers cannot be found at all or in sufficient numbers to argue publicly funded criminal cases. The attempt now, instead of addressing the financial root cause, is to attempt strategically to compel lawyers to work for unsatisfactorily low fees.

Since UK aid moneys can readily be found for delivery of funds to far flung independent countries in the world – and to support wars being waged globally - where is there then equitable compliance with this English statute’s stipulations at sections 8 and 9? The backlog of criminal cases at first instance and on appeal is indeed a symptom of financial neglect by Her Majesty’s Government towards the Territory. When grossly insufficient moneys are allocated to the justice system, it is no surprise that lawyers become demotivated and/or disinterested in providing service to the legal aid system. The UK does have a legal duty adequately to fund the TCI and failure so to do constitutes both statutory non-compliance and a derogation of duty.

PRESERVING CLIENTATTORNEY RELATIONSHIP

The Secretary of State may— (a)from time to time make, to the government of any colony to which section five of this Act applies, being a government whose resources are, in his opinion, insufficient to enable it to defray its administrative expenses, grants of such amounts as he may, with the approval of the Treasury, determine;…”

And

A client, be this a privately funded client or one funded at the public expense, is unlikely to be either confident and/or contented with a lawyer imposed on him. The person who requests a particular lawyer does so oftentimes based on reputation and confidence in the advocate’s abilities. A person faced with a serious criminal charge, such as murder or rape, should, as does the privately funded criminal defendant, be afforded a comparable choice of who he retains confidence in to provide, with sufficient experience, the best available defence. To deny that right is also a compromise of the Fundamental Rights and Freedoms part of the TCI Constitution. Any decision to impose lawyers on indigent criminal defendants, impacts the prerequisite of fairness within the trial, and therefore would have implications for compliance with Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which applies to the TCI.

“9 EXPENSES.E+W+S+N.I.

CONCLUSION

The expenses incurred under the last foregoing section by the Secretary of State shall be defrayed out of moneys provided by Parliament, and any increase attributable to an Order in Council under this Act in sums payable under any other enactment out of moneys so provided or out of the Consolidated Fund of the United Kingdom shall be paid out of moneys so provided or out of that Fund, as the case may be.”

In the past quasi-criminal applications were, on a discretionary basis, in the public interest, awarded legal aid to have a point of general public importance or a novel point canvassed and

As I have stated elsewhere, there is a need for a mature, informed and fair response to the extant challenges in the Turks and Caicos Islands justice system.

“8 GRANTS FOR BENEFIT OF CERTAIN WEST INDIAN COLONIES.

Biographical note: Courtenay Barnett was called to the Bar in England in 1981. He was subsequently called to the Bar in Jamaica in 1983. He was called to the Bar in the Turks and Caicos Islands in 1986. He has practised law continuously (some say contentiously) in the TCI for over 25 years. He has argued many public interest cases. His most recent case was the first Integrity Commission case, in which he is defending one of the accused. His law firm is Barnett and Associates.

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Ne-yo

“Let Me Love You (Until You Learn To Love Yourself)” Much as you blame yourself, you can’t be blamed for the way that you feel Had no example of a love that was even remotely real How can you understand something that you never had?

Ooh, baby, if you let me, I can help you out with all of that Girl let me love you And I will love you Until you learn to love yourself Girl let me love you I know your trouble Don’t be afraid, girl let me help Girl let me love you And I will love you Until you learn to love yourself Girl let me love you A heart of numbness gets brought to life I’ll take you there Girl let me love you Girl let me love you, baby, oh Girl let me love you Girl let me love you, baby Girl let me love you Let me love you, let me love you, oh I can see the pain behind your eyes It’s been there for quite a while I just wanna be the one to remind you what it is to smile I would like to show you what true love can really do Girl let me love you And I will love you Until you learn to love yourself Girl let me love you I know your trouble Don’t be afraid, girl let me help Girl let me love you And I will love you Until you learn to love yourself

Girl let me love you A heart of numbness, gets brought to life I’ll take you there Girl let me love you, baby Girl let me love you Let me love you, let me love you, baby Girl let me love you Girl let me love you, baby Girl let me love you Let me love you, girl let me love you, baby For every heart that beats For every heart that beats For every heart that beats For every heart that beats Heart that beats Heart that beats Heart that beats Heart that beats Girl let me love you And I will love you Until you learn to love yourself Girl let me love you I know your trouble Don’t be afraid, girl let me help Girl let me love you And I will love you Until you learn to love yourself Girl let me love you A heart of numbness, gets brought to life I’ll take you there Girl let me love you Let me love you, baby, love you, baby Girl let me love you Let me love you babe, love you babe, ooh-ooh-ah

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ENTERTAINMENT

White House Weighs In on Jay-Z’s Cuba Rap T

he White House was drawn into the controversy Thursday over Jay-Z and Beyonce’s recent trip to Cuba and the rapper’s new song referencing President Barack Obama.

White House press secretary Jay Carney was asked at his daily briefing about the hip-hop mogul’s new track entitled Open Letter, which contains lyrics that seem to imply that Obama himself gave Jay-Z and Beyonce special clearance to travel to the Caribbean nation, which American citizens are restricted from visiting.

A reporter sought Carney’s clarification after referencing these lyrics from Jay-Z’s song: “Obama said,

‘Chill, you gonna get me impeached’/ You don’t need this s*** anyway; chill with me on the beach. I done turned Havana to Atlanta/ Guayabera shirts and bandannas. ...Boy from the hood got White House clearance.”

“I guess nothing rhymes with Treasury,” Carney joked. “Because Treasury offers and gives licenses for travel, as you know, and the White House has nothing to do with it.”

He added: “I am absolutely saying that the White house from the President on down had nothing to do with anybody’s travel to Cuba that is something that Treasury handles.”

U.S. Treasury officials said Tuesday that the couple’s trip was li-

censed as an educational exchange after two Cuban-American congressional members expressed concerns about the trip and questioned whether it was properly licensed.

In the song, Jay-Z talks about his distaste for politicians and asserts, “Y’all gon’ learn today.” The rapper also recites: “Want to give me jail time and a fine? Fine, let me commit a real crime.” When asked for further comment, Carney reiterated, “It’s a song. The President did not communicate with Jay-Z over this trip.”

Not passing up a chance to brag, Jay-Z reminds listeners of his part ownership of an NBA basketball team, rapping: “Would’ve brought

JAY-Z the Nets to Brooklyn for free/ Except I made millions off it, you f***in’ dweeb/ I still own the building, I’m still keeping my seats/ You buy that bulls***, you better keep your receipts.”

Adele tops young musicians rich list T

he worldwide success of One Direction has made the boyband an estimated £25m – but they still have some way to go to pass Adele who has been named the richest young music millionaire in the latest edition of the Sunday Times Rich List.

The five members of One Direction – Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson – appeared for the first time on the list this year worth an estimated £5m each.

Another bumper year for Adele, who won an Oscar earlier this year for her theme tune to the latest James Bond movie, Skyfall, has led to her fortune swelling by 50% to £30m.

It keeps her safely at the top of the young British and Irish music millionaires aged 30 and under table in the broadsheet’s annual survey of the world’s rich and (occasionally) famous.

Adele, whose critically acclaimed 21 was the best-selling album in the world for the second year in a row in 2012 with more than 8m sales, stretched her lead over second placed Cheryl Cole.

The Girls Aloud singer is worth an estimated £14m.

The list of the UK’s richest young musicians is dominated by women including, Leona Lew-

ADELE is, Katie Melua, Jessie J, Lily Allen and Charlotte Church.

One Direction’s £25m net worth puts them £1m ahead of the combined fortune of JLS, another product of Simon Cowell’s ITV talent show and chart juggernaut, The X Factor.

Each of the JLS’s members – Jonathan (JB) Gill, Marvin Humes, Aston Merrygold, and Ortisé Williams – are estimated to be worth more than One

Direction’s at £6m each as there are only four in the group, making their combined worth is slightly less.

One Direction had the third and fourth best-selling albums in the world last year, with debut Up All Night selling 4.5m copies, and follow-up Take Me Home selling 4.4m.

Only two non-boyband male acts made it into the top young millionaires list – James Morrison and new entrant Ed Sheeran – with Emelie Sande also making the rankings for the first time.

Sir Paul McCartney has been named Britain and Ireland’s richest performer, with a £680m fortune, topping the overall table of the wealthiest music millionaires as he has done in all 25 editions of the rich list.

His wealth is shared with wife Nancy Shevell, and includes her £150m stake in her father’s New England Motor Freight trucking operation.

The top five remain unchanged from the 2012 list, with McCartney followed by Andrew Lloyd-Webber (£620m), U2 (£520m), Sir Elton John (£240m) and David and Victoria Beckham (£200m).

The 25th Sunday Times Rich List will be published on 21 April.

Madonna’s Like A Diva, Malawi Officials Say M

adonna may be pop royalty in much of the world, but apparently that standing doesn’t hold water in Malawi.

The Material Mom is in a beef with the leaders of the African nation after her trip to the country last week. Officials there said she was acting like a diva, demanding VIP treatment.

The Malawi government says in a statement that Madonna believed that leadership there “should have rolled out a red carpet and blast the 21-gun salute in her honour.” The lengthy statement goes on to acknowledge that Madonna has adopted two children from the country,

but says “this gesture was humanitarian and of her accord. It, therefore, comes across as strange and depressing that for a humanitarian act, prompted only by her, Madonna wants Malawi to be forever chained to obligation of gratitude.”

Aside from adopting her son from Malawi in 2006 and a daughter three years later, Madonna has sought to bring awareness to the hardships faced by the children in Malawi, and co-founded the non-profit organization, Raising Malawi, to help and educate those in need. She also made I Am Because We Are, a film that documents the dire situation with AIDS in Malawi and challenges viewers to

find answers to solve the crisis.

Madonna fought back by issuing her own statement, which says, “I’m saddened that Malawi’s President Joyce Banda has chosen to release lies about what we’ve accomplished, my intentions, how I personally conducted myself while visiting Malawi and other untruths.”

She adds, “I have no intentions of being distracted by these ridiculous allegations. I came to Malawi seven years ago with honorable intentions. I returned earlier this month to view the new schools we built.

I did not ever ask or demand special treatment at the airport or elsewhere during my visit.”

MADONNA In the statement, Madonna claims the beef is the result of her relationship with Anjimile Mtila Oponyo, who is the sister of Malawi’s president. She was once the head of Raising Malawi, but was fired. As a result she sued to group for wrongful termination.

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JOB ADVERTISEMENT

Gansevoort Turks + Caicos is a contemporary luxury full service boutique resort on Grace Bay Beach. We are looking for driven and energetic professionals with Five Star experience and who are committed to achieving excellence by ensuring Five Star standards and services are continuously delivered.

SPA MANAGER The Spa Manager Gansevoort Turks & Caicos is responsible for the daily operations, management, and profitability of the spa, along with the highest level of customer service and quality work environment.

Requirements • Oversee the management of all positions: front desk, spa technicians and teachers.

• Coordinate new hire orientations.

• Manage, coordinate, and/or conduct associate meetings and workshops.

• Perform all Human Resources functions, according to corporate policies.

• Monitor daily sales activities to ensure that all transactions are completed accurately.

• Ensure the maintenance and cleanliness of spa facility. Control and maintain a high quality of music selection and HVAC. • Ensure spa treatment quality controls, including service, cleanliness, and product usage.

• Manage the preparation of purchase orders for professional treatment and operational supplies.

• Maintain proper inventory levels for all professional and retail products.

• Finalize payroll.

• Conduct annual performance reviews of supervisory and hourly associates, where applicable.

• Partner with Controller to prepare monthly financial variance reports and participate in the development of the annual budget.

• Maintain expertise regarding all standard operating procedures and policies.

• Coordinate press visits, as requested by Corporate.

• Assist with special projects, events, and promotions as needed.

• Adhere to all corporate, departmental and spa operational policies and procedures.

• Respond to guest questions and associate concerns in a timely, professional manner.

• Maintain a high level of guest rapport and service.

• Adhere to company guidelines and core values.

• Maintain a working knowledge of all Exhale classes, services, and products.

• Attend an Exhale class a minimum of three times a week.

• Demonstrate positive attitude and actions through a display of courtesy, service, cooperation, hospitality, sensitivity and professionalism to internal guests.

• Manage department to achieve or exceed desired unit metric goals.

• Increase gross margins of the business through optimal scheduling, staffing pans, and capacity utilization.

• Improve guest service + satisfaction levels through heightened levels of communication and personal presence in the unit.

• Demonstrate equal commitment to exhale’s soulful culture + profitable enterprise.

• Manage department to achieve or exceed desired unit metric goals.

• Increase gross margins of the business through optimal scheduling, staffing pans, and capacity utilization.

• Improve guest service + satisfaction levels through heightened levels of communication and personal presence in the unit.

• Demonstrate equal commitment to exhale’s soulful culture + profitable enterprise.

GUEST SERVICES MANAGER: Oversees daily activities of Guest Services Department to provide guidance and leadership to all staff. Responsible to ensure consistent quality of customer service is provided to all guests in accordance with Gansevoort standards. Tasked with representing the Gansevoort brand and reputation in the public, through both oral and written communications. Essentially, he or she becomes the face of the organization, interacting with employees, clients, the media etc.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES INCLUDE BUT NOT LIMITED TO: To uphold and comply with Gansevoort Hotel Group Standards at all times. Promoting the Gansevoort culture at every opportunity and stay true to its core values. Provide exceptional customer service to all hotel guests, making their stay as comfortable and accommodating as possible while achieving team and Brand goals. Manages all Guest Services and Front Office operations to ensure profitability, cost controls and quality standards to ensure total guest satisfaction. Ensure prompt and courteous service to guests, and to ensure that all guest experiences are distinctively supreme. To ensure all public areas are well presented; in particular the Porte-Cochere, Front Desk, Lobby and Pool area. Coordinates staffing and logistics for all major group movements and special requirements. Responsible for all internal and external communications; employee liaison and press releases for the Corporate Office.

Timely reports to the Corporate Office in New York and liaise with the General Manager on property. To be responsible for all aspects of Front Office Management this includes the Front Desk, Guest Service Managers, Concierge, Airport Greeters, House Car Drivers, Cashiering, Porters, Switchboard, Night Management, and Night Audit. Ensure all Front Office staff is in compliance and kept up with the latest customer service techniques and Gansevoort Hotel Group Standards. Ensure that Front Office personnel are familiar with in-house facilities for the purpose of assisting guests. Monitors training and colleague’s progresses to ensure Gansevoort standards are implemented and followed. Participates in all necessary training as directed by Gansevoort, New York. Reviews VIP reservations and ensures proper handling of VIPs and groups, administers amenity orders and resumes for incoming guests. Computes and creates daily VIP arrival manifests to include arrival, departure information, room assignments, and guest preferences and distributes to all department heads through the daily meeting. Be responsive to guest’s requests by communicating their needs to appropriate departments in a prompt and courteous manner. To cover Manager on Duty when is required. Must be able to work Overnight Shift as Relief Night Manager. Protect confidential data and restrict communications of same only to authorized persons. Perform other duties as directed by the General Manager or any other authorized Executive.

Skills/Qualifications: • To perform this job successfully, individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.

• Must have Gansevoort Hotel Group experience.

• Must be a Certified Concierge • Minimum five (5) years experience in a luxury resort environment with experience in Front Office and Concierge.

• Minimum one (1) year as a Manager in Front Desk or Concierge of a Luxury hotel.

• Strong leadership skills with the ability to recruit, train, develop, mentor and motivate a team.

• Self-motivated and dependable with an exceptional work ethic and strong problem solving Education and/or Skills Required skills. Must be experienced in conflict resolution.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Kinesiology or equivalent work experience.

• Proficiency in MS Office, Opera PMS and Micros POS. • Minimum of three (3) years experience in a Spa for Luxury Hotel.

• Ability to prepare reports, effectively present information, and provide timely response to • Certificate in Massage Therapy required queries.

• Current CPR certification. Must be trained in Lymph Drainage and Craniosacral Therapy. • Ability to effectively deal with colleagues and customers, some of whom require high levels • Atleast two (2) years professional teaching experience for beginning, intermediate and of patience, tact and diplomacy to defuse anger and collect accurate information. advanced yoga; also fitness training preferably in a high-end and/or hospitality environment. • Deadlines oriented with the ability to multi-task and establish priorities.

• Must be enthusiastic, motivated, and a team player.

• Strong oral, written communication and interpersonal skills; ability to speak, read and write • Must possess computer proficiency with Windows-based products. fluently in the English and Spanish or French.

• Must have outstanding experience delivering high-quality customer service.

• Professional appearance and demeanor.

• Display good organizational, written, and verbal skills.

Interested applicants can contact our Human Resources Department, Monday through Friday 9am to 5pm on

(649)941-7555.

E-Mail cover letter outlining your interest and supporting experience in a particular position along with your Resume or C.V. to hr@wymara.com

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CARIBBEAN

The Bahamas Commissioner of Police sued over leaked photos

R

elatives of murdered charity worker Nellie Mae Brown-Cox claimed they suffered embarrassment, mental anguish, nervous shock and extreme depression over the leaked crime scene photos of their loved one.

The claims are part of a lawsuit filed against Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade and then Attorney General John Delaney in the Supreme Court on October 19, 2011, but not made public before now.

Greenslade told The Nassau Guardian last week he could not comment on the status of his investigation into the leaked photos because of the lawsuit.

Brown-Cox was hacked to death sometime between April 6 and 7, 2011 in her apartment on Bougainvillea Avenue, South Beach.

Photos of the crime scene were published on the Internet on April 9, 2011. The pictures were widely circulated and that intensified outrage over the gruesome murder, which police had previously reported as a stabbing death.

The issue of the leak was brought back into the public’s consciousness after Prince Hepburn, a contractor and Brown-Cox’s boyfriend, was convicted of her murder last month.

The matter was also raised again in some circles after community activist Rodney Moncur was arrested and charged for posting on Facebook autopsy photos of a man who died in police custody in February.

Moncur’s matter is unrelated to the BrownCox photo leak probe.

The murdered woman’s relatives claim that Greenslade and Delaney were negligent, careless, reckless and showed no regard and consideration for their feelings in “allowing the photographs to go missing”.

They are seeking damages for negligence,

COMMISSIONER OF POLICE ELLISON GREENSLADE life-long embarrassment and humiliation, unlawful publication, costs, interest and further relief as the court deems just. Smith, Smith and Co. represents the family.

The family said numerous friends and relatives told them of the leaked photos that were circulating on the Internet. They said despite numerous requests, Greenslade and Delaney failed to divulge the identities of the officers responsible for the leak.

“The photographs that were published were extremely graphic and as a result thereof generated extreme gossip and talk throughout the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and the world at large,” the statement of claim said.

“These photographs were in the custody of the first defendant (Greenslade) and should have never been released to the public at large.

“The fact that these photographs were released on the worldwide web they can always be viewed by individuals throughout the world and as a result thereof has created irreparable damage to the plaintiffs.”

The document continued: “All of the evidentiary photographs and exhibits relative to the investigation were under the custody, care and control of D/Sgt. 88 Jones and D.C. 2179 Stubbs who were under a duty to secure all photographs and to ensure that these documents remained in the custody of the first defendant and would only be used for information in relation to their investigation.

“These photographs were to be used only in the prosecution of the accused murderer.”

Brown-Cox’s mother, Alice Brown, father Arthur Brown Sr., brothers Arthur Jr. and Kingston Brown., sisters Clementina Brown, Shantell Brown, Marshanal Brown, Antoinette Nesbitt and her two daughters Chelesea and Chivonnia Cox filed the suit.

The last apparent action in the case was a summons filed on March 29, 2012.

Police found Brown-Cox’s mutilated body in the kitchen of her apartment.

According to the statement of claim, when police arrived at the scene they found blood throughout the apartment.

Brown-Cox’s right hand was severed with only the thumb portion remaining. Police found the remaining portion of her right hand under a clothes basket.

The bed was saturated in blood with a cutlass on the bed with bloodstains, the court document states.

There was also a pool of blood next to the bed.

In June 2011, Greenslade said he had identified the source of the leak and that any officer found responsible would not escape punishment.

He promised then to issue a statement about the progress of the investigation, but never did.

One in three adults in the Caribbean afflicted with hypertension W

ASHINGTON – The Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) says that at least one in three adults in the Americas, including the Caribbean, has high blood pressure, or hypertension.

PAHO, an arm of the United Nations’ World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday that hypertension is the number-one risk factor for cardiovascular disease and death throughout the world. Hypertension is believed to affect nearly 1 billion people worldwide.

PAHO/WHO has called on health providers to carry out blood pressure checks at every opportunity especially in primary health care settings.

High blood pressure, equal to or above 140/90 mmHg, increases one’s risk of heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease. According to PAHO,

studies show that high blood pressure contributes to nearly 9.4 million cardiovascular deaths each year around the world.

In the Americas, cardiovascular disease claims 1.9 million lives each year and is the main cause of death in most of the region’s countries.

“Making sure people know their numbers is a personal responsibility, but it’s also a professional responsibility for doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers,” said PAHO Dominican-born director Dr. Carissa Etienne.

“The good news is that hypertension is both preventable and treatable,” she added. “In some countries, prevention and treatment of high blood pressure and other risk factors have significantly reduced deaths from heart attack and stroke.”

Etienne said although high blood pressure af-

fects about 30 percent of the adult population, a third of them do not know they have the condition as the disease often has no symptoms.

Last year, health authorities from throughout the Americas approved a strategy for prevention and control of non-communicable diseases that has the goal of reducing deaths from cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases by 25 percent by the year 2025.

Reaching this goal would save an estimated 3 million lives in the hemisphere, PAHO said.

In signing onto the strategy, PAHO member countries pledged to prioritize non-communicable diseases in their health and development policies, promote multi-sector dialogue and partnerships, and strengthen measures to reduce risk factors and improve health care coverage.

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CARIBBEAN NEWS

Opposition legislators in St. Kitts boycott budget presentation B

ASSETERRE, St. Kitts – Opposition legislators Tuesday boycotted the presentation of the national budget insisting that the long tabled vote of no confidence in the Dr. Denzil Douglas administration be debated.

“We the majority of Elected Representatives in the National Assembly of St. Kitts and Nevis will not participate in the debate of the 2013 Budget,” the six opposition legislators, including former deputy prime minister Sam Condor and senior minister Dr. Timothy Harris said in a statement.

Last week, a High Court judge set April 18 as the date for hearing arguments from lawyers representing the Speaker, Prime Minister Dr. Douglas and members of his Cabinet, after the opposition legislators filed a motion seeking to block the government from conducting any business in the National Assembly other than the national budget.

The six opposition legislators had earlier this year written to Governor General Sir Edmund Lawrence declaring that they had lost confidence in Prime Minister Douglas and his government.

The opposition legislators have scheduled a news conference “to further sensitise the people of this country to the continuing threat to democracy posed by the Prime

Dr. Denzil Douglas

Strike in St. Lucia costs Government over EC $3 million C

less disregard of the right of the people of this country to have a government of their choice comprising the majority of elected representatives.

“It undermines our Federation’s already compromised confidence and credibility. It further weakens an already depressed investment climate and economy and only serves to worsen the hardship being experienced by our people. For this we hold the Prime Minister particularly responsible.”

They said that motions of no confidence have been disposed of with dispatch in Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda, Montserrat, Grenada, Cayman Islands and Jamaica.

Minister, the Rt. Hon. Denzil Douglas, and the Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Curtis Martin, who have done everything to prevent the Motion of No Confidence in the government from coming to the floor of the National Assembly for debate”.

The opposition legislators warn that “this continuing, deliberate neglect by the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Prime Minister and his Administration, of their obligation to ensure that the Motion of No Confidence, which was delivered to the Clerk of the National Assembly on the 11th day of December, 2012, is given the highest priority is a reck-

ASTRIES, St Lucia – The three week old strike by Civil Servants has cost the country well over EC$3 million, according to Cabinet Secretary Darryl Montrope.

The Government started to assess the financial cost of the work stoppage, when the strike came to a halt on Tuesday.

According to Montrope , preliminary figures for the Customs Department alone indicate that the Government lost over EC$2 million in revenue at an average of EC$200,000 a day.

The Cabinet Secretary said apart from Customs - the Inland Revenue Department, the Ministry of Commerce and the Registry were the worst affected by absentism during the strike period.

He said with respect to the Inland Revenue Department while government was able to meet the revised fiscal target for the month of March it was clear that more funds would have been collected had the full work force been present.

In addition Montrope said it must be noted that despite the fact that the workers were away from their jobs they were still being paid.

“The fact that the workers were paid even while off the job should also be part of the calculus of the impact of the strike.

We have not arrived at the final value on the impact of the strike because some workers were in and out of work during the three weeks.”

He said the government would also assess the impact of the strike on the business community.

The Cabinet Secretary said while the strike did not have a crippling effect, the government is pleased that Civil Servants have returned to work, adding that it was in no one’s interest for there to be industrial unrest especially at this time.

The Civil Service Association and the Government Negotiating Team are expected to resume negotiations before the end of the week, with the Association hoping that a settlement can be reached on new proposals for allowances for Public Servants

“Nowhere in the Commonwealth Parliaments have there been such lengthy delays in dealing with such an important instrument of democracy, and there is absolutely no reason why St. Kitts and Nevis should set the worst example in this regard.

“The Motion of No Confidence is a most significant piece of legislative measure. So important it is that only elected members of Parliament can vote on it. By delaying the Motion of No Confidence, the Prime Minister has continued his pattern of calculated disregard for the rule of law, our Constitution as well as the norms, principles and traditions of good governance and democracy.

“Indeed this very pattern of behaviour represents one of the reasons that the motion was filed in the first place,” they said in their statement.

The legislators said that other matters that have led to the filing of the motion of no confidence include “ the Prime Minister’s undermining of the ministerial system of government, the lack of prior consultation with the country regarding the land for debt swap, oppressive electricity rates, the mismanagement of the financial affairs of the country..and the instituting of the Sugar Industry Diversification Foundation (SIDF) as an alternative to the consolidated fund.

Grenada Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell wants to bring back hope K

een to bring back hope and economic prosperity to the Spice Isle, Prime Minister Keith Mitchell will embark on training programmes, scholarships, and the use of technology to empower hundreds of young Grenadians.

Speaking this morning while on a brief visit to his “second home” – his wife is Barbadian – Mitchell made it clear that in the knowledge based environment, technology is going to be the order of the day to prepare young Grenadians to succeed.

“It is not going to be about having the service, the techonology, it is about how you use it to provide oportunities for people and give them hope,” said Mitchell, who gave a press briefing at the home of the Karnani family in Highgate Gardens in St Michael.

The 66-year-old Mitchell said there will be a massive infusion of training opportunities and scholarships across the board.

“The question of small business enterprise. We have to realise in Barbados and other countries in the region, the issue now is how to we use technology to provide that opportunity

for small business persons to become competitive.

“Therefore, we have to give them the tools and at the same time, they must have the resources,” he said.

Zeroing in on returning to the country to economic growth is clearly the main priority for Mitchell, who led the country from 1995-2008.

“We have to look at the areas of economic prospects and that is what the budget will be saying. For example, tourism, clearly we have an ambitious programme there; agriculture – the export of nutmeg and cocoa and other cash crops, and opportunities that are available in several areas which were not appropriately utilised, we will be zeroing in serious resources,” he said.

For the first time in its history, Grenada is having a female Governor General. Mitchell announced that Cecile La Grenade, one of the most successful business persons in the country, will have that honour.

He said that over 30 per cent of the elected members of the Housde were women and 36 per cent of the ministerial positions have been taken by women.

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CARIBBEAN NEWS

Caribbean Court of Justice reserves judgment in discrimination claim T

he Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has reserved its judgment in the case of a 25-yearold Jamaican woman who claims she was discriminated against and mistreated by Barbados immigration officials. The seven judges sitting on the CCJ panel decided late yesterday afternoon to reserve their decision in order to consider the submissions made by attorneys representing Shanique Myrie, Barbados, Caricom and Jamaica, which has been listed as an interested party in the case.

The panel consisted of CCJ president Sir Dennis Byron and judges Rolston Nelson, Adrian Saunders, Désirée Bernard, Jacob Wit, David Hayton and Winston Anderson. During yesterday’s hearing at the CCJ’s Henry Street, Port-of-Spain, headquarters, Queen’s Counsel Roger Forde, presented submissions on behalf of his native, Barbados.

In defence of the claim brought by Myrie, Forde submitted that the CCJ should not consider the human rights issues raised in her lawsuit, as such provisions were not part of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, which the regional court is mandated to interpret. He suggested that the a lawsuit in the Barbados High Court would have been more appropriate than Myrie’s current litigation. Forde also appealed to the court to consider the inconsistencies in her testimony when it was making findings of facts in the case.

In her lawsuit, Myrie is alleging when she travelled to Barbados on March 14, 2011, she was subjected to a body-cavity search by Barbados immigration officials, detained overnight in a cell and deported to Jamaica the following day. She claims she was subjected to discriminatory, cruel, inhumane, insulting, or demeaning treatment during her overnight detention.

The Barbados Government had denied the allegations. She alleged that treatment was con-

trary to the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Charter of Civil Society, and other international accords and agreements. Myrie is seeking US$500,000 in damages from her lawsuit. During her submissions on Monday, Myrie’s attorney, Michelle Brown, contended her client was subject to cruel and inhumane treatment to the level of torture.

She compared the cavity search which was allegedly performed on Myrie to sexual assault at the hands of a Government official. Barbados was also represented by Patterson Cheltenham QC, Dr David Berry, Donna Brathwaite while Dr KathyAnn Brown and Lisa White represented Jamaica.

During his closing arguments to the CCJ at its Henry Street headquarters in Port of Spain, lead attorney Roger Forde the lawyer for the Barbados Government, urged the court to completely ignore any evidence brought forward by 25-year-old Myrie in the last month.

“Miss Myrie’s evidence was not credible,” the Queen’s Counsel told the seven-judge panel.

“It was laced with inconsistencies, and should be rejected in its entirety,” he added.

And Forde doesn’t think Myrie should be granted much money if the CCJ does eventually determine she should be awarded damages.

On Monday, Myrie’s lawyers had revealed they would be seeking almost $1 million in moral and punitive damages.

“If she is guaranteed any damages, they should be nominal, if the hypothesis that her refusal of entry into Barbados was against her fundamental rights,” Forde noted.

He added that any other claims regarding if her rights were trampled could not be heard by the CCJ. The Barbadian lawyer also suggested to the CCJ that for damages to be determined, a separate assessment hearing outside of the current case

should be convened elsewhere.

Regarding Myrie’s evidence, Forde said evidence produced during the Barbados leg of the case had shown the Jamaican woman had been untruthful to Immigration Department officials and which was contrary to what she had provided in statements to Barbadian police.

“If you find a witness is telling lies, you can dismiss that evidence in its entirety, even if there are some truths within the testimony. We suggest that her evidence be therefore completely rejected,” Forde urged the court.

The lead lawyers also submitted that the decision made at a Caricom Heads of Government conference in 2007, which says Caricom nationals should be granted automatic six-month stays, is not binding.

According to Forde, Myrie’s lawsuit claiming her fundamental and human rights were breached when she arrived in Barbados three years ago is not valid to be heard in the jurisdiction of the CCJ, since the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, under which the framework of the CCJ is defined, does not have a charter that deals specifically with fundamental rights of Caricom nationals.

Forde noted that for Myrie to claim such discrimination, she would have to seek solace elsewhere.

“That would make good sense. If basic human rights issues were to be observed, then they would be clearly culled out and entrenched in the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, and we would not need the Caribbean Court of Justice to do so,” Forde concluded.

The lawyer also suggested that damages for Myrie, if her human rights were breached, could not be easily determined by the CCJ since the totality of evidence regarding any such breaches had not been brought forward for the current hearing.

International Press Institute delegation to visit Caribbean region to campaign against criminal defamation laws V

IENNA, Austria – The Vienna based International Press Institute (IPI) says it will visit several Caribbean countries as part of its campaign for the repeal of criminal-defamation laws in the region.

IPI said that it would be visiting six Caribbean countries including Antigua and Barbuda, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and the Dominican Republic from April 15 April to May 6.

“IPI and ACM look forward to continuing their important advocacy work on the issue of criminal defamation in the Caribbean.

“While press freedom is already relatively strong in many Caribbean states, we believe that the repeal of criminal defamation is critical to ensuring that no journalist is pressured to self-censor,

or faces the threat of prison for doing his or her job,” said IPI’s executive director, Bethel McKenzie, who will head the delegation.

The delegation will also include the President of the Association of Caribbean Media Workers (ACM) Wesley Gibbings, the President of the Trinidad and Tobago Publishers and Broadcasters Association, (TTPBA), Kiran Maharaj as well as Scott Griffen, IPI press freedom adviser for Latin America and the Caribbean and Bert Wilkinson, ACM executive member from Guyana.

“This round of Caribbean missions is singularly important as an effective intervention to promote the value of press freedom as a vital component of the development process. IPI’s leader-

ship of the process brings valuable international perspectives to the table together with credentials earned over many years. The ACM is proud to have such a partner in a project of immense value to the people of this region,” said Gibbings.

During the mission, IPI will seek to gain further support for the Declaration of Port of Spain, which calls for the abolition of ‘insult laws’ and criminal defamation legislation in the Caribbean.

The Declaration has already been signed by numerous regional and global media groups.

“IPI’s mission to the Caribbean is very timely in light of the continued challenges faced by regional media and demonstrates IPI’s tremendous commitment to safe-

guard press freedom in the Caribbean,” said Dawn Thomas, group chief executive officer of One Caribbean Media Ltd (OCM) and a member of IPI’s Executive Board.

“There are just too many existing laws that can impede the work of journalists and expose them to criminal sanctions. I look forward to co-operation from the regional governments on this mission so that real and significant progress could be made in the pursuit of a free and responsible press in the region,” Thomas added.

A recent IPI investigation revealed that all 16 independent states in the Caribbean retain some form of criminal defamation law and that six had prosecuted journalists under such a law within the last 15 years.

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News W

RLD

Pentagon says North Korea can likely launch nuclear missile

A

Pentagon spy agency concluded for the first time that North Korea likely has the ability to launch nuclear-armed missiles, illustrating the high stakes surrounding the escalating tensions on the Korean peninsula.

A study dated last month by the Pentagon’s Defense Intelligence Agency reckoned with “moderate confidence” that Pyongyang is able to launch nuclear-armed ballistic missiles but the weapons would probably be unreliable, officials said on Thursday.

The secret assessment - which was mistakenly marked as unclassified - was made public by Representative Doug Lamborn as he questioned senior Pentagon officials about North Korea’s nuclear weapons program during a hearing of the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee.

“DIA assesses with moderate confidence the North currently has nuclear weapons capable of delivery by ballistic missiles, however the reliability will be low,” Lamborn said, quoting from a DIA report entitled “Dynamic Threat Assessment 8099: North Korea Nuclear Weapons Program (March 2013).”

Effectively confirming the assessment, a U.S.

US SLAPS SANCTIONS ON IRANIAN BUSINESSMAN, COMPANIES

W

ASHINGTON – The Treasury Department slapped sanctions Thursday on an Iranian businessman and a network of banks and companies dealing with Tehran amid an international stalemate over Iran’s disputed nuclear program.

The move targeted Babak Zanjani, along with a Malaysian bank and an international network of companies that U.S. officials said had moved billions of dollars on behalf of the Iranian regime.

The sanctions, which bar access to the U.S. financial system, are part of Washington’s ever-growing economic crackdown on Iran.

The move came days after international talks in Almaty, Kazakhstan, failed to make progress toward a deal under which Iran would cease enriching uranium that could be used in a nuclear weapon or allow United Nations inspectors greater access to its nuclear facilities. Iran maintains that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only, and continues to enrich uranium in defiance of U.N. Security Council resolutions.

U.S. officials said the announcement was unrelated to the failure of the talks in Kazakhstan and was instead part of an effort to stop Iran’s “relentless” effort to evade sanctions.

official said that Lamborn had done nothing wrong in releasing the statement but declined further comment on the study. He said the quotation cited by Lamborn was in a section of the study that had been erroneously marked unclassified.

Lamborn did not say what range the nuclear-capable North Korean missiles might have.

Hans Kristensen, a nuclear weapons analyst at the Federation of American Scientists, said one analyst recently claimed nuclear warhead capability for North Korea’s Nodong short- to medium-range missile. It would be able to hit U.S.-based facilities in the region, including South Korea and probably Japan.

The consensus inside the U.S. government is that North Korea does not yet have a nuclear device that would fit longer-range missiles which conceivably could reach U.S. territories.

“It’s very clear that it cannot at this stage include long-range ballistic missiles because they’re just basically not developed sufficiently yet to be able to do this,” Kristensen said.

All the same, the release of part of the DIA report will likely raise tension on the Korean penin-

“As international sanctions have become increasingly stifling, Iran has resorted to criminal money-laundering techniques, moving its oil and money under false names and pretenses,” David Cohen, undersecretary of the Treasury for terrorism and financial intelligence, said in a statement.

The sanctions take aim at what officials described as a financial network stretching from Malaysia to Tajikistan, Turkey and Iran through which the Iranian regime sought to sell oil on the international market.

The transactions provided hundreds of millions of dollars for Iran’s stateowned oil company, the main source of Tehran’s revenue and the target of increasingly stiff U.S. and European sanctions, the officials said.

Zanjani is chairman of the Sorinet Group of banks and companies that Tehran used as intermediaries to sell oil on the world market, the Treasury announcement said. His group is based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and includes front companies in Turkey, Malaysia and Tajikistan, it said.

The companies bought Iranian crude oil from Naftiran Intertrade Co., which was owned or controlled

by Iran’s state oil company, the Treasury Department said.

Iran is “being forced into these Rube Goldberg-type networks in an effort to try to get access to revenues, and [is] not being able to do so in a way that escapes our attention,” said a senior Treasury official.

sula where North Korea has stationed as many as five medium-range missiles on its east coast, according to assessments by Washington and Seoul, possibly in readiness for a test-launch that would demonstrate its ability to hit U.S. bases on Guam.

Most observers say Pyongyang has no intention of starting a war that would likely bring its own destruction, but they warn of the risks of miscalculation.

The Defense Intelligence Agency is a Pentagon spy agency that gathers information about the capacity and strategic intentions of foreign militaries.

Greg Thielmann, a former State Department intelligence analyst now with the Arms Control Association advocacy group, said that while he did not have access to the classified material cited in Congress, what was said publicly about DIA’s assessment sounded quite tentative.

“It really says to me that this is a speculative statement,” Thielmann said. “Moderate (confidence) is higher than low confidence but it doesn’t say they know very much.”

He described the DIA statement as a “cautious worst-case assessment.”

CANADA MINISTER TO OVERSEE PROBE TO TEEN’S SUICIDE

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anada is looking further into the case of a teenage girl who hanged herself after an alleged rape and months of bullying, after a photo said to be of the assault was shared online and no charges were filed against four teenage boys being investigated.

The death of 17-year-old Rehtaeh Parsons on Sunday has provoked an outcry across North America, and Nova Scotia’s justice minister said Thursday he has appointed four government departments to look into her case.

The government came under criticism after Justice Minister Ross Landry initially ruled out the possibility of reviewing how the Royal Canadian Mounted Police handled allegations that Parsons was sexually assaulted in November 2011. Police concluded there were no grounds to charge the four teenage boys after a year-long investigation.

Landry later changed course, saying he has asked senior officials for options to review how the Mounties and the Public Prosecution Service concluded they could not file charges.

A group reported to be the cyber-activist hackers Anonymous said it would avenge the teen’s death. In a public statement released online Thursday morning, the group criti-

cized officials involved in the investigation of the alleged rape and bullying and said it was in the process of confirming the identities of the accused rapists.

“Our demands are simple: We want the (Nova Scotia Royal Canadian Mounted Police) to take immediate legal action against the individuals in question. We encourage you to act fast. If we were able to locate these boys within 2 hours, it will not be long before someone else finds them,” the statement said. Leah Parsons said her daughter hanged herself last week. Parsons said one boy took a photo of the alleged assault and her daughter was subjected to bullying after it went viral.

Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter told the province’s legislature that he wanted a timely response in order to satisfy the public’s concerns.

A vigil for the teen was planned in Halifax for Thursday night. Her father posted a message Thursday on his website saying his daughter struggled to recover after being publicly humiliated.

Glen Canning’s post, entitled “Rehtaeh Parsons was my daughter,” says his daughter “wasn’t bullied to death, she was disappointed to death. Disappointed in people she thought she could trust, her school, and the police.”

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WORLD NEWS

Brazil’s female president Rousseff to make rare state visit to US P

resident Dilma Rousseff will make the first formal state visit by a Brazilian leader to the United States in nearly two decades, a diplomatic breakthrough for an emerging power that has clashed with Washington but is hungry for closer ties and recognition of its growing prestige.

The trip will occur later this year, likely in October, officials told Reuters on condition of anonymity because the White House has not yet announced the visit. A White House spokeswoman declined comment.

A state visit, which includes formalities such as a black-tie dinner and a military ceremony upon arrival, is usually reserved for Washington’s closest strategic partners.

“It’s great news, long overdue,” said Paulo Sotero, director of the Brazil Institute at the Wilson Center, a think-tank in Washington. “It shows that the United States really values the relationship, which is what Brazil most wants to hear.”

The upgrade in diplomatic ties is likely to rekindle hopes for a long-sought treaty to avoid double taxation on Brazilian and U.S. businesses, as well as the chance for greater commerce between the two largest economies in the Americas.

Bilateral trade totaled about $59 billion last year, but Brazil’s economy remains relatively closed to imports and its 200 million-strong population is seen as a big potential growth market for U.S. companies.

The red-carpet reception also will be a political victory for Rousseff, a left-leaning but pragmatic leader who has sought closer relations with the United States but felt snubbed when President

Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff Barack Obama did not host a more elaborate welcome during a White House visit in April 2012.

Relations have been cordial, but marked by disagreements.

Latin America’s biggest country has been frustrated by a perceived lack of support from Wash-

Human Rights group accuses Syria of war crimes A

human rights advocacy group accused the Syrian authorities of war crimes Thursday for ordering indiscriminate and in some cases deliberate airstrikes against civilians, the latest testimony that President Bashar Assad is using increasingly harsh tactics against the opposition.

The targets included hospitals and bakeries where civilians were standing in line for bread, Human Rights Watch said.

The group also castigated the Free Syrian Army, the rebel umbrella group supported by the United States and its allies, and other armed adversaries of the Assad government, saying insurgents did not take sufficient care to avoid deploying forces and setting up headquarters in or near densely populated areas.

“An attacking party is not relieved from the obligation to take into account the risk to civilians from an attack on the grounds that the defending party has located military targets within or near populated areas,” Human Rights Watch said.

The group, which is based in New York, said the airstrikes, which have frequently been reported by opposition activists clamoring for supplies of anti-aircraft weapons, constituted “serious violations” of international

humanitarian law.

“People who commit such violations with criminal intent are responsible for war crimes,” said the 80-page report said, titled “Death From the Skies.”

The opposition groups said airstrikes had killed 4,300 civilians since July 2012, Human Rights Watch said.

Syrian state media websites did not report any government response to the accusations. But the government has regularly characterized its military actions in the conflict as justified responses to terrorism.

Human Rights Watch said its researchers visited the sites of 50 such attacks in the northern Syrian provinces of Aleppo, Idlib and Latakia, and interviewed 140 witnesses, eventually documenting 152 civilian deaths. The group acknowledged that it had been able to visit only opposition-controlled areas, since the Syrian government denied it access to government-held locations.

In 44 additional cases, the report said, the weapons deployed by government forces were “unlawful under the laws of war,” including “unguided bombs dropped by high-flying helicopters that under the circumstances could not distinguish between civilians and combatants.”

ington as it seeks a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council and other recognition of its rising influence following an economic boom over the past decade.

Rousseff’s predecessor, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, angered Washington by blocking hemispheric trade talks and trying to broker a deal to end the global standoff over Iran’s nuclear program in 2010, the final year of his presidency.

Rousseff, by contrast, has mostly avoided dealing with Iran, more strongly emphasized human rights in Brazil’s foreign relations and also taken a relative distance from Venezuela, Washington’s loudest antagonist in Latin America.

Sotero said Obama’s visit to Brasilia in March 2011 marked the beginning of a “reset” in relations.

“For a while there was really very little dialogue,” Sotero said. “This (state visit) gives me more optimism that we’ve moved on from that.”

It’s unclear whether Rousseff will be a more enthusiastic partner on trade than Lula.

Brazil’s recent economic slowdown and strained ties with major trading partner Argentina have prompted speculation that Rousseff might be willing to push for greater commercial ties with the United States or European Union.

However, she has also implemented targeted tariff increases to protect Brazilian industries from what she calls a “currency war” being waged by the United States and other rich countries to devalue their currencies for trade purposes.

The last Brazilian president to make a state visit to the United States was Fernando Henrique Cardoso, in 1995.

China pulls Django from theaters on opening day T

he U.S. film “Django Unchained” was abruptly pulled from theaters in China on Thursday, its opening day, a surprising move that came after some scenes were reported to have been edited to conform to the wishes of Chinese censors.

No reason was given for the decision to suspend the film’s opening. Workers at Beijing theaters said the film had been pulled because of unspecified technical problems with the movie.

The film was to have made its debut Thursday after weeks of heavy promotion in China. News reports have said that some of the film’s graphic violence was edited to make it acceptable to state censors, including altering the color of fake blood in violent scenes and limiting how far the blood splattered.

Such revisions are becoming increasingly common before U.S. films are shown in China, with U.S. filmmakers adhering to the demands of Chinese censors as they seek to tap into the country’s lucrative market of filmgo-

ers. China is the second-largest movie market in the world, behind the United States. ”Django Unchained” won two Oscars in February. The movie focuses on a slave named Django and a bounty hunter who pursue a particularly brutal slave owner.

Before the film’s planned opening, the Chinese media quoted a Sony Pictures official who described the changes made to appease censors and suggested that director QuintinTarantino had played a role in the changes. ”What we call bloodshed and violence is just a means of serving the purpose of the film, and these slight adjustments will not affect the basic quality of the film — such as tuning the blood to a darker color, or lowering the height of the splatter of blood,” Zhang Miao, director of Sony Pictures’ Chinese branch, told Southern Metropolis Daily. “Quentin knew how to adjust that, and it’s necessary that he is the one to do it. You can give him suggestions, but it must be him.”

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WORLD NEWS

Intrigue swirls as Iran prepares to choose next president T

EHRAN — The reform movement that took to the streets to protest alleged vote-rigging in Iran’s last presidential election has been crushed.

The supreme leader has made it clear that such behavior will not be tolerated this time.

But that doesn’t mean the maneuvering to replace Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in an election set for June 14 has been without intrigue.

Ahmadinejad, who was reelected in the disputed 2009 balloting, is barred by law from seeking a third term and is publicly promoting a trusted aide to replace him. It is far from clear, however, whether the president’s preferred successor will even be allowed to run.

For much of the outside world, the incumbent remains the defiant face of the Iranian theocracy. At home, however, the clerical establishment that backed him four years ago has tired of what hard-liners regard as his divisiveness and lack of deference to the religious leadership.

The election comes at a difficult moment for the Islamic Republic, which is facing the prospect of increased international isolation.

On Saturday, world powers and Iran again failed to break a deadlock in talks over Tehran’s nuclear program. Economic sanctions are biting, pushing up prices and spurring widespread discontent. Officials have clamped down on any signs of street protests.

The Iranian leadership is also deeply concerned about the fate of its major Arab ally, Syrian President Bashar Assad, who appears to be slow-

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ly losing his grip on power to a rebellion now in its third year.

Ahmadinejad has come in for criticism as not only an inflammatory figure, but a profligate

Senators aim to unveil immigration bill Tuesday A

fter months of negotiations, a bipartisan group of senators aims to roll out a comprehensive immigration bill on Tuesday, giving President Barack Obama new hope that one of his top priorities for 2013 will advance in Congress.

While the timing could still change, several congressional sources said the eight senators - four Democrats and four Republicans - plan to introduce their bill on Tuesday.

That is the latest they can unveil a measure - one that would put 11 million people living illegally in the United States on a path to citizenship - if Senate Democrats are to stick with plans to hold a Judiciary Committee hearing on the bill on Wednesday.

Prospects for the legislation brightened in the Senate when a deal was struck behind closed doors on wages for foreign farm laborers working in the United States. Senator Dianne Feinstein added that the deal also would place a limit on visas for such workers.

“We have an agreement on wages and the visa cap,” Feinstein told Reuters. The deal

followed a six-hour negotiating session on Wednesday, she said.

The Democratic senator is not one of the so-called “gang of eight” writing the overall immigration legislation. But with her home state of California being an agriculture powerhouse, Feinstein was a lead negotiator on the farm worker provisions.

She refused to provide details of the wage and visa deal.

Between now and Tuesday, aides to the eight senators will work to finish drafting the bill that intends to further tighten security along the southwestern border with Mexico and pave the way for more foreign high-skilled scientists, mathematicians and engineers to work for high-tech firms in the United States.

Additional lower-skilled foreigners, from hotel maids to construction workers, also would be available to U.S. companies hungry for cheap labor, but under tight controls negotiated by unions and business.

Agricultural employers complain that the current H-2A guest worker program sets wages too high compared to

pay scales in rural areas and is unwieldy when growers need to recruit enough workers in a timely manner.

Wages can account for onethird of the cost of growing fruits and vegetables. The United Farmer Workers union has warned against unduly low wages that would make it hard for farm workers to support their families and could undercut wages in rural communities.

The farm worker portion of the bill was seen as the last major bit to be negotiated before senators could introduce their legislation.

Even at this late stage, negotiations were continuing on bits of the farm worker section of the bill and other miscellaneous matters, according to lawmakers and congressional aides.

But with Hispanic groups clamoring for action and Republicans in Congress still licking their wounds after being soundly rejected by Hispanic-American voters last November, the reform initiative was picking up steam, even though it still faced a difficult road ahead.

spender whose policies have damaged the economy. The blacksmith’s son has championed cash subsidies for the needy, winning considerable support from the poor and working class.

Still, in the last two years of his presidency, Ahmadinejad has been transformed into a kind of renegade, flailing about in outrage as his ministers are impeached and his power curbed. Last year, the president’s top press aide was thrown into jail for disrespecting Islam and the supreme leader.

Though he has proved a wily and at times ruthless political player, the president’s legacy is plainly in peril. He and his disciples face being sidelined or shut out completely in the nation’s new political order.

Enter Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, the president’s chief advisor, top strategist and theoretician. He is also Ahmadinejad’s trusted in-law — the president’s son is married to Mashaei’s daughter.

Mashaei is widely regarded as Ahmadinejad’s handpicked prospective successor, though the aide has yet to declare his candidacy.

Candidates must declare their intention to run

by May 7. To get on the ballot, they must be approved by the Guardian Council, a hard-line panel close to supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Many observers say the council is unlikely to approve Mashaei, who is loathed in clerical circles as a leader of a “deviant current” challenging religious authority

RICK WARREN SAYS SON USED UNREGISTERED GUN IN SUICIDE

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astor Rick Warren has tweeted that his son killed himself with an unregistered gun purchased through the Internet.

Warren, who has been tweeting regularly about his grief since his 27-year-old son Matthew committed suicide last Friday, said he forgives whoever sold the weapon.

Pastor Rick Warren Orange County Sheriff’s spokesman Jim Amormino said Thursday that the gun’s serial number was scratched off.

It’s illegal in California to buy a gun without a background check and purchasers are supposed to register their firearms. Defacing a gun’s serial number is a federal offense.

Rick Warren is pastor of Saddleback Church in Orange County and author of “The Purpose-Driven Life,” a bestseller. He and his wife have said their son struggled with depression. They have set up a mental health fund in Matthew’s memory.

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WORLD NEWS

Cameron says Thatcher made Britain great, others snub her B

ritish Prime Minister David Cameron delivered an emotional tribute to Margaret Thatcher in parliament on Wednesday, but political opponents boycotted the debate on her legacy, underlining how divisive a figure she remains even in death.

MPs were recalled from their holidays for the first time for the death of a public figure since Queen Elizabeth’s mother died in 2002, reflecting the “Iron Lady’s” place in history.

Thatcher, who died of a stroke on Monday aged 87, not only won three elections to become Britain’s longest-serving prime minister of the 20th century, but also reshaped its politics so fundamentally that her status as Britain’s only female premier seems almost incidental.

“She drew the lines on a political map that we here are still navigating today,” said Cameron, wearing a dark suit and tie. “She made the political weather, she made history and - let this be her epitaph - she made our country great again.”

MP after MP from Thatcher’s ruling Conservative party stood up in the lower house of parliament’s wood-paneled chamber to describe how she had inspired them, many of them drawing parallels with the wartime colossus Winston Churchill.

Among the achievements they listed: her role in ending the Cold War, her forthright defense of British interests in the European Union, her leadership during the 1982 Falklands War against Argentina, and her liberalization of the British economy.

Tulips and lilies were placed at the foot of a statue of Thatcher outside the parliamentary chamber.

But in death as in life her policies provoked a fury freighted with personal loathing among some critics who stressed what many saw as the darker side of her rule.

OPPOSITION BENCHES EMPTY Scores of MPs from the opposition Labour party, which has 255 lawmakers in the 650-seat parliament, boycotted the debate, leaving swathes of the chamber’s green leather benches empty.

A few hours into the debate, barely a dozen La-

before they travel to her funeral, as part of a security operation codenamed “Operation True Blue”.

THREATS TO FUNERAL

Margaret Thatcher bour members were taking part.

George Galloway, an outspoken MP from the socialist Respect party, said he had no interest in attending “a state-organized eulogy”.

Many Labour MPs from the north of England, which saw industries such as coal mining and shipbuilding shrink or fold on her watch, spoke of the bitterness she had left behind.

“This has become a public debate about Margaret Thatcher’s legacy,” Chi Onwurah, a Labour MP representing the northern English town of Newcastle, told parliament.

“Words cannot express the visceral dislike with which some of my constituents regard Margaret Thatcher.”

She said Thatcher’s policies had destroyed jobs, industries and communities, and offered the victims nothing in return.

Cameron conceded that Thatcher was not universally popular but said she had overturned Britain’s postwar political order, winning battles over trade union reform, nuclear arms and state ownership of industries.

“She certainly did not shy from the fight and that led to arguments, to conflict, yes even to division,” Cameron said.

Those divisions remain so deep that plans for next Wednesday’s funeral have become a security headache.

Parties in several cities to celebrate her death ended in arrests, and media reported that police may pre-emptively arrest known troublemakers

Hundreds of police and soldiers will have to guard not only against protesters seeking to disrupt the event but also against the threat from Northern Irish dissident groups opposed t British rule.

Thatcher escaped assassination in 1984 when the Irish Republican Army (IRA) blew up a hotel where she was staying. The IRA laid down arms as part of a peace deal, but Thatcher remains a hate figure to many on the other side of the Irish Sea. Her ceremonial funeral with military honors will begin with a procession through London to a service at St Paul’s Cathedral.

In a break with protocol, Queen Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip will attend. The last time the monarch attended a prime minister’s funeral was when Churchill died in 1965.

Thatcher’s son Mark said she would have been “enormously proud and grateful” that the monarch was going to her funeral.

Many opposed to Thatcher’s free-market ideology say she was too divisive a figure to be sent off in a style usually reserved for royals like Princess Diana or the Queen Mother.

“Let’s privatize her funeral. Put it out to competitive tender and accept the cheapest bid. It’s what she’d have wanted,” said filmmaker Ken Loach, whose films denounce the impact of Thatcher’s policies on the working class.

Liverpool and Glasgow, two cities ravaged by Thatcher’s dismantling of state industries, both saw disturbances.

The Official Charts Company said the song “Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead”, from the musical “The Wizard of Oz”, had climbed to number 10 in the singles chart after a campaign by Thatcher haters.

And in Brixton, a part of south London hit by riots during the Thatcher era, in 1981, protesters scaled a cinema and replaced movie titles with the words “Margaret Thatchers dead LOL” (sic).

They also hung up a banner that read: “The bitch is dead”.

Margaret Thatcher in her own words H

ere are some quotes from the political life of Margaret Thatcher who died on Monday at the age of 87: “In politics if you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman.”

1965 “I don’t think there will be a woman prime minister in my lifetime.” - as Education Secretary in 1973. She became Britain’s first, and so far only, woman prime minister in 1979.

“Where there is discord, may we bring harmony. Where there is error, may we bring truth. Where there is doubt, may we bring faith.

And where there is despair, may we bring hope.” - Quoting St Francis of Assisi, on her 1979 election victory.

“I am not a consensus politician.

I’m a conviction politician.” - 1979 “I don’t mind how much my

ministers talk, as long as they do what I say.” - 1980 “We had to fight the enemy without in the Falklands. We always have to be aware of the enemy within, which is much more difficult to fight and more dangerous to liberty.” - On the 1984-85 miners’ strike which provoked some of the fiercest union opposition to her economic policies.

“We are not asking for a penny piece of community money for Britain. What we are asking is for a very large amount of our own money back, over and above what we contribute to the community, which is covered by our receipts from the community.” - At a European Economic Community summit 1979.

“To those waiting with bated breath for that favorite media catchphrase, the U-turn, I have

only one thing to say: You turn if you want to. The lady’s not for turning.” - At the 1980 Conservative Party conference to colleagues urging her to soften her economic policies which were driving up unemployment.

“Just rejoice at that news and congratulate our forces and the marines. Good night gentlemen. Rejoice.” To reporters in 1982 outside Downing Street after her defense secretary said Britain had recaptured South Georgia from Argentina.

“This is a day I was not meant to see.” - To reporters the day after surviving a deadly 1984 Irish Republican Army bomb attack on the Conservative Party conference.

“They are casting their problems on society and who is society? There is no such thing! There are individual men and women

and there are families and no government can do anything except through people and people look to themselves first. It is our duty to look after ourselves and then also to help look after our neighbor.” To Woman’s Own magazine.

“We have become a grandmother.” - On the birth of her first grandchild, 1989.

“No! No! No!” At the House of Commons in 1990, the climax of an anti-European outburst that moved Geoffrey Howe to quit as deputy prime minister and deliver a resignation speech which called for her to be challenged for her job.

“I fight on, I fight to win.” - In November 1990, after failing to win enough votes to avoid a second round in the Conservative leadership contest. She resigned the next day.

“It’s a funny old world” - On her decision to quit in 1990.

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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usiness B AND

O TJapan carmakers recall 3.4 million ECHN

LOGY

vehicles for airbag flaw

F

our Japanese automakers, including Toyota Motor Corp and Nissan Motor Co, are recalling 3.4 million vehicles sold around the world because airbags supplied by Takata Corp are at risk of catching fire or injuring passengers.

The move announced on Thursday is the largest recall ever for airbags made by Takata, the world’s second-largest supplier of airbags and seatbelts. Shares of Takata, which first learned of the issue in October 2011, tumbled almost 10 percent in Tokyo trading.

The recall, also including vehicles from Honda Motor Co Ltd and Mazda Motor Corp, is the largest since Toyota pulled back more than 7 million vehicles in October to repair faulty power window switches. The scale of the recent safety actions underscores the risk of huge global supply chain problems as automakers increasingly rely on a handful of suppliers for common or similar parts to cut costs, analysts have said.

Toyota, Honda and Nissan said there were no reports of injuries or deaths because of the defective airbags, which affect more than 1.3 million vehicles in the United States.

Airbags are flexible fabric envelopes that inflate rapidly to cushion occupants in an accident.

They were rolled out broadly in the mid-1980s and early 1990s, and are now required in most developed countries, with many vehicles offering multiple airbags.

However, U.S. requirements were changed in the late 1990s to lower the explosive force of airbag deployment after injuries caused by early generations of the technology.

In the current Takata recall, the airbag for the front passenger seat may not inflate correctly because of a manufacturing defect in the propellant used in the airbag inflator, the companies said. As a result, there is a risk of fires starting or of passengers being injured by metal fragments shooting up toward the windshield or down into the passenger foot well.

The recall covers some of the top-selling Japanese cars, including Toyota’s Camry and Corolla, and rivals like the Nissan Maxima and Honda Civic. All of the vehicles in question were manufactured in or after 2000. None of the affected Camrys were sold in the United States.

The recall is not welcome news for Toyota, which took a hit to its reputation after it recalled nearly 19 million vehicles globally from late 2009 to early 2011 due to unintended acceleration claims.

“The huge recall is expected to generate a good deal of unwelcome attention, particularly for Toyota, as it strives to rebuild its reputation for quality in North America,” IHS Automotive analyst Paul Newton said in a report.

Takata said it learned of the problem from an automaker it did not identify in October 2011 after an airbag deployment in Japan. It learned of a Honda accident in Puerto Rico the following month, according to documents filed with U.S. safety regulators.

From February 2012 through June last year, Takata could not reproduce the problem in testing, but that autumn the supplier was alerted to three additional incidents - two in Puerto Rico and one in Maryland - according to documents

MARTHA STEWART LOSES BID TO DISMISS MACY’S CONTRACT CLAIM

M

artha Stewart’s company lost a bid on Thursday to dismiss Macy’s Inc’s claim that it violated their contract when it designed certain products for J.C. Penney Co Inc, even if the products do not carry the Martha Stewart brand.

New York State Supreme Court Justice Jeffrey Oing’s ruling may affect whether J.C. Penney can sell Martha Stewart-designed home goods in bedding, bath and cookware under a “JCP Everyday” label.

The judge is expected to rule Friday on whether to temporarily block Penney from selling Martha Stewart-designed goods that Penney manufactured in that “Everyday” packaging.

A preliminary injunction already in place bars J.C. Penney from selling Martha Stewart brand products in certain categories.

A Citi analyst on Tuesday estimated the inventory already in a warehouse could be worth $100 million.

Oing also pushed again for the

sides to settle, rather than leaving the matter in his hands.

“This is a business deal that you should not have courts getting involved in,” Oing said. “It’s getting to a point where the clock can’t be turned back. The ship is ready to sail.”

Macy’s sued J.C. Penney and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc after the two companies announced plans in December 2011 to open “Martha Stewart” stores within J.C. Penney.

The plans were part of Ron Johnson’s attempt to re-invent J.C. Penney after he became chief executive in November 2011. Johnson, who came under fire after sales fell 25 percent at the department store last year, was ousted on Monday.

Macy’s claims Martha Stewart Living granted it the exclusive right to manufacture and sell Martha Stewart home goods in some categories under a 2006 agreement that, with a renewal last year, runs until 2018.

filed with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Tokyo-based Takata said it supplies airbags and seatbelts to major automakers including Daimler AG and Ford Motor Co as well as the Japanese brands.

Some non-Japanese automakers were also supplied with the faulty airbags, Takata spokesman Toyohiro Hishikawa said. He declined to name those automakers.

General Motors Co said Takata is a supplier, but that the problem affected only about 55,000 Pontiac Vibe cars from model year 2003 built for the U.S. and Canadian markets. The cars were assembled at the Fremont, California, plant GM previously ran in a joint venture with Toyota and were included in Toyota’s total recall number, a GM spokesman said. GM dealers will service its cars.

BMW has an undetermined number of vehicles affected by the recall, a U.S. spokesman for Takata said.

Officials with Chrysler, Daimler, Ford, PSA Peugeot Citroen, Renault SA and Volkswagen AG said they were not affected because they did not use the airbags covered by the recall. India’s Tata Motors Ltd and its Jaguar Land Rover unit said they are not affected.

Between 2008 and 2011, Honda was forced to recall about 2.8 million vehicles after finding a defect with driver-side airbags supplied by Takata.

It is the largest recall for Takata since 1995 when the company was involved in a recall of more than 8 million vehicles because of defective seatbelts.

FACEBOOK’S ZUCKERBERG CALLS FOR US IMMIGRATION REFORM

F

acebook Inc Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said the U.S. needs to fix a “strange” immigration policy that prevents promising but undocumented students from contributing to the country’s future and doesn’t provide enough visas for foreign workers with advanced skills.

“We have a strange immigration policy for a nation of immigrants.

And it’s a policy unfit for today’s world,” the 28-year-old founder of the world’s largest Internet social network said in an opinion column in The Washington Post on Thursday.

Comprehensive immigration reform and improvements in the U.S. education system were needed, Zuckerberg said in the article, which formally introduced a new advocacy group of Silicon Valley bigwigs.

FWD.us, which is focused on promoting bipartisan policies to improve the U.S. “knowledge economy,” includes technology executives such as Zuckerberg and

Dropbox CEO Drew Houston, and venture capitalists John Doerr, Reid Hoffman and Jim Breyer.

The group’s introduction comes as legislators in Congress are working to draft legislation to reform the country’s immigration system.

The supply of H1-B visas, which allow non-U.S. citizens with advanced skills and degrees in “specialty occupations” to work in the country for up to six years, has been a long-running topic of debate in the technology industry.

Many executives argue that universities are not churning out enough American math and science graduates and that they need to cast their net abroad to stay competitive.

Some U.S. tech workers and academics say that the shortage of talent is exaggerated, that many of the jobs could go to out-of-work computer professionals in the United States, and that the program serves mainly as a source of cheap labor.

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY

Samsung Launches New Phablet Brand Galaxy Mega — Confirms Two Devices: 6.3” HD, 1.7GHz Dual-Core & 5.8” QHD, 1.4GHz Dual-Core S

amsung has confirmed the arrival of a new subbrand within its Galaxy range of mobile devices: the Galaxy Mega expands its mini-tablet-sizedphone (aka phablet) portfolio by firing two new devices into the category, building on the momentum generated by its extant Galaxy Note line.

Samsung said the Mega will be available globally — “beginning May from Europe and Russia”, adding that product availability will vary by market and roll outs will be gradual. There’s no official word on Mega pricing yet but since both devices pack dual-core chips (vs the Galaxy Note II’s quadcore chipset) it’s possible they will be a slightly more affordable than Samsung’s other phablets.

Here’s how Samsung describes Mega: The newest addition to the GALAXY family balances an optimal viewing experience on a 6.3-inch HD screen, yet is ultra-thin and portable enough to put into a pocket or hold in one hand.

The GALAXY Mega offers a mix of popular smartphone and tablet features such as an effortless user experience, a split screen, multitasking between video and other apps and more.

JK Shin, CEO of Samsung’s mobile business, added in a statement that Mega is about bringing more choice to buyers who want a portable device with a big screen. “We are aware of a great potential in the bigger screen for extensive viewing multimedia, web browsing, and more. We are excited to provide another choice to meet our consumers’ varying lifestyles, all while maintaining the high-quality features of the award-winning GALAXY series,” he said.

Samsung has climbed to a position of domi-

nance in the smartphone market by offering a hugely diverse portfolio of devices, hitting price points from low end budget to high end flagship and everything in between — so little surprise that it’s beefing up its phablet line with Mega.

The company has also fuelled an industry wide trend for smartphone screen size inflation, following the introduction of the original Galaxy

Note in 2011. That device had a 5.3 inch screen — which seemed massive at the time. But Samsung’s latest pair of phablets push out even more, adding a full extra inch in the case of the full HD device.

Design wise, Mega does not push the boat out — sharing the same look as fellow Galaxy devices, such as Samsung’s new flagship Galaxy S4 (which packs in a 5 inch pane).

BlackBerry tumbles as analysts rekindle turnaround doubts S

hares of BlackBerry slipped about 8 percent on Thursday as analysts questioned whether the handset maker’s turnaround plan would succeed in the brutally competitive smartphone market.

Discounting of the Z10, its recent handset meant to take on the likes of Apple Inc’s iPhone and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd’s Galaxy line, has also raised concerns, according to one trader.

BlackBerry launched its latest handsets based on its much delayed BlackBerry 10 operating system in January, but they started selling in the United States only in March.

Investors have been skeptical about the company’s prospects of regaining its lost glory and stealing back market share in the U.S. market. The stock has lost a quarter of its value since hitting a 52-week high in January. “(The) recent optimism surrounding the ability of the new BlackBerry 10 products to get BlackBerry back to long-term profitability will ultimately prove unwarranted,” Pacific Crest analyst James Faucette wrote in a research note.

“We see a combination of market maturity, more aggressive pricing from competitors and smaller resources than those of competing

ecosystems frustrating the comeback attempt,” added the analyst, who has an “underperform” rating on the stock.

This followed a Credit Suisse note, which suggested that the surprisingly strong gross margins that BlackBerry reported last month may have been driven more by lower amortization levels and less by operational improvements.

The weakness in BlackBerry came amid the backdrop of a broad selloff in the technology sector, led by Microsoft Corp and Hewlett-Packard Co, after an influential tech research firm said personal computer sales plunged the most in two decades.

Options on the stock were busy as well, with 107,000 puts and 87,000 calls traded so far on Thursday afternoon, according to options analytics firm Trade Alert.

The weekly $13.50, $14 and $14.50 strike puts expiring on Friday after the close are among the most active contracts in BlackBerry, on concerns that the recent drop in the stock will continue, WhatsTrading.com options strategist Frederic Ruffy said.

BlackBerry shares were down at C$13.84 on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Its Nasdaq-listed shares were down 7.8 percent at $13.53 in afternoon trading.

Australia and China strike currency deal T

HE AUSTRALIAN dollar would become the third currency after the US dollar and Japan’s yen to be directly convertible with China’s yuan, Prime Minister Julia Gillard said yesterday.

Gillard said in Shanghai that Beijing had appointed Australia’s ANZ Banking Group and Westpac Banking Corporation as market makers for the direct trading on the Chinese foreign exchange sys-

tem. Australian national broadcaster ABC quoted Gillard as saying that trading would start tomorrow.

“This is a huge advantage for Australia, not only for our big businesses but also for our small and medium enterprises that want to do business here,” Gillard said.

Currently, the Australian dollar has to be converted into US dollars or yen before being

swapped for yuan. The currency deal, which will be formally announced today, benefits Australian companies by taking away exchange-rate risks and lowering the cost of transactions. Since 2009, China has moved to internationalise its currency, with more than 10 percent of its international trade conducted in yuan – increasingly a rival to the US dollar as a store of value.

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

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Sports LOCAL

Track and field dying in TCI – Gray

W

illah Gray, former Turks and Caicos Islands track star is not happy with the state of the sport in the country, claiming that after recent success, it is fast declining.

Gray made his disappointment known on the popular local facebook forum “Speak Your Mind”, where he labeled the local track and field programme as a big joke.

“I hate to toot my own horn but sports in Turks and Caicos is again becoming a big joke. I was obligated to pushing sports for this country that I love and, it’s my home. But until we realize money and power isn’t everything and patriotism and pride is, it (local sports) will continue to be what it is,” he argued.

Gray implicitly knocked the authorities for not taking rising sprint star Delano Williams with them to the 42nd Carifta Games, held in the Bahamas earlier this month, so as to pep the team. He also blasted the Turks and Caicos Amateur Athletics Association and other local sporting authorities relevant to track and field, for not paying any level of development attention to Carifta stars of recent years, such as high jump gold medalist Dominick Missick.

“National hero such as Delano Williams was not at the Carifta Games. Are you kidding me? Not even

Willah Gray as a spectator!..... Dominick Missick, one of the region’s top high jumpers, not receiving the help he needs to better his training or exposure! .....

More needs to be done and must be done soon,” Gray, a former Commonwealth Games athlete, demanded.

Prior to the departure of the

Carifta Team to the Bahamas, President of the TCAAA Edith Skippings told journalists that the sporting body had invited Williams to accompany the team to the games but he refused on the grounds that he could not imagine himself attending the event and not participating.

Williams, who will be joining the prestigious Racers Track Club in Jamaica, where he currently attends high school, was the toast of that country’s recently held annual high school track and field championships, running for his high school Munro College.

He is set to attend the University of Technology in Jamaica, after turning down at least half a dozen United States College scholarships. Williams turns 20 later this year, and Skippings explained that one of the former Carifta Track and field championships rule is that athletes turning 20 in the year that the event is held was considered ineligible, which was what she said fueled Williams’ decision to turn down the invitation to accompany the team.

But notwithstanding that scenario, Gray believes that Track and field in the TCI is drowning fast and needs a lifeline urgently. As a result, he called on government, administrators and other stakeholders to get involved in the interest of resuscitating the sport.

“This is a charge to the government parents friends family and loved ones of TCI let’s be what we know we can be and that’s a force to be reckoned with around this Caribbean,” he said.

Coaches Showcase To Identify Basketball Talent I

n an attempt to expose local basketball talent in the Turks and Caicos Islands to international openings, some local coaches in the country have decided to take the bull by the horn. As a result, they have formed an organization called Blazers Elite Academy, which is aimed at identifying talent and present them to US and Canadian colleges for further development. The body held its first annual Coaches Showcases at the Gustarvus Lightbourne Sports Complex between April 8 and 12, where students from high schools across the country were invited for try-outs. Two basketball coaches from US colleges were invited to scout the talents. Photo shows the stakeholders having a news conference to highlight the event. From left: Judith Robinson, Director of Sports; Maurice Bowie, Head Coach East Central in the US; Kevin Harvey, President of Blazer Elite Academy; Ray Evans, Vice President, Blazer Elite Academy; Kevin Hall, Head Coach of Johnson University; and Trevor M. Cooke- Secretary General of the Provo Amateur Basketball Association.

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LOCAL SPORTS NIGHT LEAGUE PLAYOFFS FRIDAY 5TH APRIL 2013 Game 1 – G.T Stallions def. Knights 110 – 45 Stallions’ Kino Williams: 23 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assist, 2 steals.

R. Harris: 18 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assist, 1 steal.

Knights’ Peter Sylvin: 13 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block. K. Walters: 11 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 3 steals.

Game 2 – S.C Habour Boys def.

Cobras 68 – 56 Habours’ Jonathan Paul: 23 points, 4 rebounds, 1 block, 1 steal. D. Dean: 22 points, 15 rebounds, 1 block.

Cobras’ Guy Joseph: 11 points, 1 rebound. J.Bienaime: 8 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal.

Game 3 – Flyers def. Steelers 71 – 62 Flyers’ Anthony Cash: 21 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assist. C. Campbell: 16 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assist.

Steelers’ Cameron Henry: 17 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assist, 1 steal. E. Missick: 17 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal.

HIGH SCHOOL PLAYOFFS SATURDAY 6TH APRIL 2013 Game 1 – Tcips def. Wesley Methodist High 46 – 40 Tcips’ Kenly Walters: 20 points, 1 rebound, 5 assist, 4 steals. Anthony: 10 points, 8 rebounds, 1 block, 5 steals.

Wesley’s Justin MIssick: 20 points, 8 rebounds, 1 steals. K. Smith: 9 points, 1 rebound.

Game 2 - Maranatha High def.

British West Indies Colligate 32 – 27 Maranatha’s Raymeeko Smith: 11 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assist, 1 block, 6 steals. D. Hamilton: 8 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assist, 1 block, 2 steals.

BWIC’s Tristan Greene: 7 points, 2 rebounds, 1 block. L. Saintange: 6 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 5 steals.

NIGHT LEAGUE PLAYOFFS. Game 1 – Flyers def. Steelers 85 – 78 Flyers’ Anthony Cash: 20 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal. S. Williams: 14 points, 5 rebounds, 1 block.

Steelers’ Cameron Henry: 27 points, 5 rebounds, 8 assist. E. Missick: 13 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assist.

Game 2 – Police def. Predators 65 – 59 Police’s Kijana Doughty: 18 points, 11 rebounds, 1 steal. S. Jermain: 17 points, 14 rebounds, 1 assist.

Predators’ Elliott Johnson: 12 points, 6 rebounds. C. Stuart: 11 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal.

Game 3 – S.C Habour Boys def.

Cobras 54 – 44 Habour’s Kirk Adams: 17 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assist, 1 steal. Alvardo Parker : 11 points, 7 rebounds, 1 steal.

Cobras’ Gino Argenor: 18 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal. J. Charles, J. Bienaime, J. Newman and N. Rigby: 6 points each.

TURKS & CAICOS SUN

Provo All Stars, Eagles, Wolverines hunt Fire Supplies Girls’ soccer title

W

ith just one week of games remaining, the Island Fire Supplies Girls Soccer League is heading for an exciting climax as all three teams are capable of claiming the title. The Provo All Stars are currently in first place but the Eastern Eagles and the Western Wolverines are close behind and are in hot pursuit.

Last week’s games were all closely fought affairs as each team seemed evenly matched. In the opening game the Provo All Stars scored a late goal through Sarah Cenary to overcome a stern Wolverine’s defence. Both teams has fought hard and the game appeared to be heading for a stalemate until Cenary capitalized on a defensive error and raced through to place the ball beyond the reach of Chrystal Stirling.

However, the Wolverine’s fought

back hard in an effort to rescue the game but some stern defending from Alyssa Laing and Willandra Elliot kept the Wolverines at bay.

In the second game the Wolverines and the Eastern eagles fought out a tense and competitive 0-0 draw. Both teams fought hard in the midfield with few chances being created. Yarielca De La Cruz and Gaya Smith has some good long range efforts for the Wolverines but the best chance of the game fell to the Eagles forward Amise Phanord.

Yarileny De La Cruz had dribbled past three Wolverines defenders before she played a perfect pass across the face of the goal to Phanord who hesitated before shooting which allowed Yarielca De La Cruz to make a heroic sliding tackle and deny Pha-

nord the chance to score.

In the final game two goals from Sarah Cenary saw the Provo All Stars to a 2-0 win against the Eagles. The All Stars dominated the game with Laing and Elliot commanding the defence and Kadine Delphin and Monae Gooden passing the ball around in midfield. Cenary’s first goal was a great solo effort as she dribbled through several defenders before striking into the top corner. Her second goal was created through a nice passing exchange between Gooden and Delphin whose delicate pass allowed Cenary to glide through and place the ball calmly into the bottom corner.

All teams will be fired up for the final day’s play knowing that nothing is guaranteed and that everyone has a good chance of lifting the championship trophy.

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Sports CARIBBEAN

Bolt blazes to victory in Rio beach race

U

sain Bolt, World record holder at 100 and 200m, and a winner of six Olympic gold medals and five World titles, left his mark on the city that will stage the 2016 Olympic Games when he sped to a 150m victory on Rio de Janeiro’s famous Copacabana Beach in 14.42 on Sunday (31).

Running on a specially-built blue straight track, with a 1.4mps breeze on his back, Bolt fell just short of his own world best of 14.35 for the unusual distance, which he ran in the British city of Manchester just under four years ago.

With more than 20,000 people in attendance, the Jamaican was drawn in lane two on the fourlane track and he dominated the race from the gun. The clock was his only adversary and he covered the first 100m unofficially in 10.1.

Antigua’s Daniel Bailey, a100m finalist at the 2009 and 2011 IAAF World Championships, and one of Bolt’s training partners, was second in 14.88.

In the Caribbean v South America contest, Brazil’s 2011 World Championships 200m finalist Bruno de Barros was third in 14.91, gaining his place in the final after winning a domestic eliminator ear-

USAIN BOLT lier in the day, while Ecuador’s Alex Quiñónez a 200m finalist at the London 2012 Olympic Games was never in the race and finished fourth 15.90.

Bolt had arrived in Rio on Friday morning and has been spending his time visiting social projects and participating in promotional events He was clearly happy after the race, despite not improving on the time he set in 2009.

“This is my first sprinting event of the season, definitely a good start for the season. I hav-

en’t done much training for sprints so far, so I’m pleased with my result and I now hope to continue this way and to stay injury free,” commented the 2012 World Athlete of the Year.

“It is a very hot day (sunny; 29° C) and I want to thank all those who came to watch the race. If the opportunity comes, I would come back to Brazil before the 2016 Olympic Games, but maybe not to run at midday,” added Bolt, with a smile.

After the race, Bolt put on his traditional show, dancing and partying in front of the crowd. During his time in Brazil, the Jamaican also played volley football on the beach and frequently exuded his trademark charisma.

The race was Bolt’s first international outing of the year after two races over 400m and another in a 4x400m Relay on home soil.

At the London 2012 Olympic Games, he became the first man to successfully defend the 100 and 200m titles at the Olympics.

In the women’s 150m, Brazil’s Franciela Krasucki, a 2011 Pan-American Games 4x100m gold medallist, won in 16.75 ahead of compatriot Rosângela Santos in 17.12.

NEW WICB PRESIDENT CAMERON WELCOMES MOVES TO END GUYANA DISPUTE

Gayle completes another demolition job C

hris Gayle took centre stage once again for Royal Challengers Bangalore, after a rare-slip up in their previous game. He consigned a quiet start to a chase of 155 to a distant memory with another calm demolition job of an opposition team, backed up by his captain Virat Kohli, as Kolkata Knight Riders suffered their second defeat in a row following a promising start to their new season as defending champions.

Gautam Gambhir guided the Knight Riders batting, happy at being asked to bat during the toss, but the total his side managed proved below-par on an excellent track for batting. The Royal Challengers seamers bowled impressively to restrict partnerships after they had begun encouragingly, and struck in the late overs to stifle an attempted surge.

It kept Knight Riders down to a chaseable score, and Gayle made it look worse than it was.

Gambhir was at ease piercing the gaps through the in-field, dispatching Moises Henriques, who opened the bowling, through the leg side and RP Singh past point and extra cover. Muttiah Muralitharan was driven through off, smacked over mid-on, and slogswept, all this during a half-century stand with Jacques Kallis that promised to take Knight Rid-

ers beyond what they eventually got. Kallis sliced Vinay Kumar to deep point, but the promotion of Yusuf Pathan to No.4 triggered an acceleration.

Yusuf struck his first three balls, all from Vinay, for boundaries to different parts of the ground, before whipping Jaidev Unadkat for six over midwicket. But Royal Challengers pulled things back, breaking the stand when Yusuf holed out to long-on off a slower delivery from Henriques. Gambhir and Tiwary put together a spirited partnership of their own, but the pair, together with Eoin Morgan, fell in a space of two overs at the death. RP leaked a few fours, but picked up three wickets and ran out Ryan McLaren in his final spell. The last four overs, which began with seven wickets in hand, yielded just 31 runs.

Knight Riders would have expected a closer contest, having limited the hosts to 21 for 1 in the first five overs of the chase. But both Gayle and Kohli compensated for their early restraint. They targeted McLaren - who was replacing Brett Lee - first, Kohli whipping him for two fours through the leg side and Gayle swinging him for two massive sixes near cow corner. Kohli cashed in on anything bowled

G Chris Gayle too straight, dismissing Pradeep Sangwan for two consecutive sixes.

The occasional relief for Knight Riders came through Sunil Narine’s miserly spell and when Sangwan managed to york Gayle, though not well enough to beat his defense, but there was a generous supply of length balls against a batsman well set and in the groove to finish things off quickly. Gayle picked out the deep midwicket area, sending Sangwan again, and L Balaji, over the ropes before reserving the same treatment for Kallis twice in an over.

Changes of pace, cutters, and variations in length were all futile against Gayle, who was the architect of another dominating Royal Challengers performance.

Just how will bowling attacks find a way through that formidable trio of Gayle, Kohli, and AB de Villiers?

EORGETOWN, Guyana — New president of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Dave Cameron has welcomed efforts in Guyana to resolve a lingering cricket dispute between the government and the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB).

Cameron has been in Georgetown holding talks with the major players involved in the conflict stemming from a disputed GCB election in 2011.

Last December a Cricket Administration Bill was tabled in parliament to include a new constitution for the GCB. Scrutiny of the bill is expected to resume once debate on the country’s 2013 estimates of revenue and expenditure ends.

“The Minister has done everything in his powers and continues to,” declared Cameron.

“There is a bill before parliament and I think we will get that resolved in a couple of weeks and... you will have international cricket back in Guyana in very short order,” said the Jamaican businessman.

The Government and GCB have been locked in an impasse over the establishment of a Government backed Interim Management Committee (IMC) following the disputed elections.

The WICB has endorsed the GCB, while refusing to recognise the IMC headed by former West Indies captain Clive Lloyd to oversee the administration of the game.

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TURKS & CAICOS SUN

RLD

14-year-old Chinese is youngest golfer to play in the Masters

T

he legendary Jack Nicklaus may have won the most titles, a 21-year-old Tiger Woods may have been the youngest champion and Gary Player may have made the most appearances, but a little-known Chinese golfer was added to the illustrious list of Masters record-holders on Thursday.

For when Guan Tianlang steps onto the first tee, the Chinese teenager will become the youngest competitor -- at the age of 14 years and five months -- in the 80 years of the prestigious Augusta event, beating the previous record held by then 16-year-old Matteo Manassero.

The boy who has been taking time out of school in his home city Guangzhou earned his place at golf’s top table when, as the youngest player in the field, he beat a host of senior players to win last year’s Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in Thailand.

He is just the latest of a small but expanding list of teenage -- and, remarkably, even pre-teen -- golfers to be impacting upon the highest echelons of golf, despite being drawn from a playing pool estimated to be no more than 600 teenage boys and girls.

Guan was just 13 when he became the youngest player to ever contest a European Tour event

Guan Tianlang in 2012, the same year that Andy Zhang, then 14, became the youngest player in the history of the U.S. Open -- while that year’s Women’s British Open found the youngest Chinese female golfer to ever contest a major, Jing Yan, then 16.

Just last month, all were slightly upstaged by Ye Wocheng, who became the youngest golfer to qualify for a European Tour event -- at the age of just 12. Yes, that’s right. Twelve.

“I don’t think there’s another country in the world that is putting as much into golf as China -- in terms of the resources, energy and money,” says Michael Dickie, the Scotland-born head coach of China’s women’s Olympic team.

Wisden chides ‘arrogant’ Pietersen

Floyd Mayweather Jr. gets licensed P

ound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr. was formally licensed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission at its monthly meeting on Monday.

The move was a formality that cleared the way for Mayweather to defend his welterweight title against interim titleholder Robert Guerrero on May 4 (Showtime PPV) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Nevada boxing licenses must be renewed annually, and Mayweather has not fought since outpointing Miguel Cotto in Las Vegas last May. Typically, licenses are approved without the application appearing on the commission agenda. However, for fighters older than 35 the request must be voted on by the commission.

Mayweather turned 36 on Feb. 24.

The five-member commission voted 4-0 to license Mayweather; one member was absent.

The commission also voted unanimously on the officials for Mayweather-Guerrero as well as for the fight between featherweight titlist Daniel Ponce De Leon and challenger Abner Mares, who will meet in the May 4 co-feature.

Robert Byrd, a veteran Nevada

W

Floyd Mayweather referee, will serve as the third man in the ring for Mayweather-Guerrero. It will be the first time he has worked a Mayweather fight. Byrd has worked two previous Guerrero bouts, his 2006 no-decision against Orlando Salido in a featherweight world title fight and a 2003 firstround knockout of Jose Luis Tula.

Selected to judge Mayweather-Guerrero were Duane Ford and Jerry Roth, both longtime Nevada judges with lots of championship experience, and New York’s Julie Lederman, who also has a lot of world title experience.

Jay Nady of Nevada will serve as the referee for Ponce De Leon-Mares.

Judges assigned to the bout are Dick Houck and Robert Hoyle, both of Nevada, and Michael Pernick of Florida.

“Look at most other countries, they support players as amateurs but the support stops once they get to pro -- then, they’re on their own and have to do it themselves.

“But our girls -- all they need to do is train.

We do the logistics, which tournaments will suit them and where they should train. We also have a physio, fitness instructor, technical coaches and people arranging logistics, visa, flights and hotels.

“And the state is paying for it all. It is like a monster sponsorship program.”

Of course, it wasn’t always thus.

During China’s Cultural Revolution of 19661976, golf was considered to be too bourgeois a pastime and any existing courses were dug up, with the land returned to farmers.

Eight years after Chairman Mao’s death, though, the first modern-day golf course was built -- in 1984 -- even if there was still a reluctance to invest fully in the sport in the nominally communist nation.

For with its 1.35 billion inhabitants representing nearly 20% of the world population -- yet the country’s landmass amounting to just 6% of the planet’s total land area -- land in China is decidedly scarce.

isden has turned on Kevin Pietersen, terming him arrogant, self-pitying and isolated, for his part in the furore which destabilised English cricket last summer.

There have been more trenchant Notes by the Editor than those which grace the 150th edition of the Almanack, published today, but Lawrence Booth reserves his sternest criticism for Pietersen’s behaviour during England’s Test series defeat against South Africa.

“Cricket, some suspected, existed only as an extension of Pietersen’s whims (and unlike team, cricket definitely has an “I” in it).

Emboldened by a lucrative new Indian Premier League deal, he was arrogant, attempting to bulldoze over the terms of his central contract. He was self-pitying, claiming he had never been looked after. And he was a man apart, sending silly texts to the South Africans,” Booth writes.

Those texts were regarded in much of the media last summer as a national scandal. Perhaps in the use of the term “silly” Wisden has stumbled upon a greater truth.

Wisden, condemning the rift as a “mishmash in many genres”, does

not spare ECB officials from criticism, concluding: “Only the dressing room knew just how troublesome Pietersen had become; for outsiders to lecture Andy Flower on man-management was plain ludicrous. But as his exile dragged on, the ECB began to look petty, if they showed their faces at all.

“Pietersen’s pursuit of Twenty20’s riches at the expense of the Test side - the format which had made his name - was unattractive, although those attitudes can filter down from the top. If there was a have-cake-and-eat-it feel to his simultaneous grouse about excessive cricket and his yearning for IPL, it was hard to ignore a wider truth: a bloated schedule has asked the players to make unfair choices.

“The dilemma is not going away, however much English cricket wishes it would.”

Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the Year - an award specific to the English season and winnable only once - are Hashim Amla, Nick Compton, Jacques Kallis, Marlon Samuels and Dale Steyn. The Leading Cricketer in the World award goes to the Australian captain, Michael Clarke.

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WORLD SPORTS

FIFA appoints goal-line technology provider for Brazil 2013 T

he use of goal-line technology (GLT) at the FIFA Confederations Cup 2013 moved a step closer today, with FIFA confirming the appointment of GoalControl GmbH as the official GLT provider for the tournament.

The announcement follows a comprehensive tender process that began in February and involved bid presentations at the Home of FIFA in Zurich as well as site inspections in Brazil. As part of the tender, GoalControl GmbH is also set to be GLT provider for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ provided that the performance of the system during this year’s Festival of Champions meets all necessary FIFA requirements.

The Germany-based company, which uses 14 high-speed cameras around the pitch as part of its GoalControl-4D system, was selected ahead of the three other FIFA-licensed GLT providers who participated in the tender.

While all four companies had previously met the stringent technical requirements of the FIFA Quality Programme, the final decision was based on criteria relating more specifically to the tournaments in Brazil, including the company’s ability to adapt to local conditions and the compatibility of each GLT system in relation to FIFA match operations. The respective bids were also judged on cost and project management factors such as staffing and time schedules for installation.

Following a thorough analysis of the final proposals, FIFA appointed GoalControl GmbH as GLT provider on Tuesday, 2 April, and notified all participating companies of the decision.

The use of GoalControl-4D in Brazil is subject to a final installation test at each stadium where

GOAL LINE TECHNOLOGY the system will be installed, which is a standard procedure as part of the official certification process defined in the GLT Testing Manual. These tests will be conducted by an independent test institute. Prior to the start of every match, the match officials will also carry out their own tests, in-line with the operational procedures first implemented at the FIFA Club World Cup 2012 in Japan.

FIFA will now liaise with GoalControl GmbH to define the timeline for installation leading up to the FIFA Confederations Cup.

Allyson Felix To Make Ninth Visit To Doha IAAF Diamond League E

ight years after her debut appearance in the meeting, US sprinter Allyson Felix will be the main female attraction at the opening IAAF Diamond League meeting of 2013 in Doha on 10 May, organisers announced on Wednesday (10).

Felix, now 27, will race over 400m. She is not only the first reigning World Female Athlete of the Year to compete in Doha but she also holds the unprecedented record of having won 10 races in as many starts in Doha, during the last eight years.

“It is always nice to compete in Doha. I feel very comfortable in Qatar and in many ways it has started to feel like a home away from home. The people are so friendly, they are really supporting me and I can feel their love surrounding me.

“I am very proud of my 10-win streak. I am excited to go after another victory in Doha,” commented Felix.

“Allyson Felix is always most welcome in Doha. Her name is attached to Doha’s Grand Prix history with so many victories and meeting records to her tally. I

couldn’t imagine the Diamond League in Doha without Allyson Felix being named among the participants,” said Qatar Athletics Federation chairman Dahlan Jumaan Al Hamad.

At the London 2012 Olympic Games last summer, Felix finally captured her first ever gold medal in an individual event, the 200m, after three gold medals as a member of US relay squads.

“Finally achieving my goal of Olympic gold has been a surreal feeling, I have been chasing that goal for so long that I had to regroup and look at my goals for the future.

“Since I have been back to training, I have realised that I love the feeling of gold and I am even more hungry to achieve it again,” added Felix.

Felix’s main rivals on the road to her 11th Doha victory will be reigning Botswana’s reigning 400m World champion Amantle Montsho, Great Britain’s former Olympic and World champion, Christine Ohuruogu, who took silver in London, and Jamaica’s Beijing 2008 Olympic Games silver medallist Shericka Williams.

The tournament will mark the second time GLT has been used at a FIFA competition, after the successful implementation of the technology at last December’s FIFA Club World Cup. This followed the historic decision by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) to approve the principle of using GLT during a special meeting on 5 July 2012.

A media event is scheduled to take place in Brazil prior to the event with a demonstration of the GoalControl-4D system. Further details will be communicated to journalists in due course.

Mavs eliminated from playoff contention for first time since 2000 D

ALLAS -- Dirk Nowitzki knew the end of a 12-season playoff streak was coming. Phoenix’s P.J. Tucker hastened the arrival.

Tucker scored 17 points, including two big baskets to stop a Dallas rally in the closing minutes, and the Suns helped eliminate the Dallas Mavericks from postseason contention with a 102-91 victory on Wednesday night.

Dallas was officially out a couple of hours later when the Los Angeles Lakers beat Portland 113-106. It’s the first time the Mavericks (38-40) have finished outside the top eight in the Western Conference since 2000.

Nowitzki was a second-year pro the last time the Mavericks were home for the postseason. He was left to wait to see what happened later Wednesday with the Lakers’ game in Portland.

“I mean, it didn’t look good for two or three weeks,” said Nowitzki, who had 21 points but was just 6 of 18 from the field. “It’s not like we had unbelievable high hopes for it. It’s not like our hopes were crushed tonight.”

The Suns blew a 14-point lead in the first quarter and almost did it again in the fourth before hanging on to snap their longest losing streak in 16 years.

Phoenix led 85-71 early in the fourth quarter but was up by just four when Tucker put in a layup for a sixpoint lead after a shot by Luis Scola barely touched the rim as the shot clock expired.

Tucker, who also had 10 rebounds, grabbed a miss by O.J. Mayo on the other end, then hit a 3-pointer for a 98-89 lead with 1:01 remaining. Tucker, a 26 percent shooter from long range this season, was 3 of 4 from beyond the arc.

“We needed to score right there.

We needed to answer back,” Tucker said. “I got like three or four of them I should have had before that and didn’t get them, so that one was huge.”

Goran Dragic led the Suns with 21 points and 13 assists, while Scola had 11 points and a season-high 15 rebounds.

Phoenix, playing a night after losing at the buzzer in Houston when Jermaine O’Neal was called for goaltending on a tiebreaking 3-pointer by James Harden, also snapped a 10-game skid in Dallas dating to March 2007.

“I guess we underestimated them tonight and they came in here and got a win,” said Shawn Marion, who led Dallas with 22 points and nine rebounds.

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