TCWN April 23 - 29, 2016

Weekly News Volume 30 | No. 16 | April 23 - 29, 2016

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‘HEARD’ OF BRIBES The most senior civil servant responsible for the TCI’s land heard of bribes being offered, a court has been told. 5 PAGE

‘VICTIMISED’ GARDENERS FIGHT 8 FOR JUSTICE PAGE 

THREE MEN IN CUSTODY AFTER SUPERMARKET ROBBERY PAGE  4

Workers picket labour tribunal over alleged victimisation by boss

MISSING YEARS OF PNP FINANCIAL RECORDS PAGE  4

ABUNDANT RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES ‘UNTAPPED’ PAGE  7

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TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

April 23 - 29, 2016

April 23 - 29, 2016

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

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TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

Missing years of PNP financial records

BY JOHN TONER THE TREASURER of the Progressive National Party inherited a four year hole in financial records, the SIPT court has heard.

Gordon Burton, the current PNP treasurer, told the court that when he took over in 2010 he was handed financial statements from 1999 until 2006 but not beyond that.

Former deputy premier Floyd Hall was in the role of treasurer at the time and provided a hard paper copy of those financial statements, a flash drive and a cheque book to Burton as he took over the job, it was said.

However the hard copy documents were destroyed by a termite infestation at his home, the flash drive was inaccessible as he could not remember the password and the documents lost from his computer when it crashed, Burton told the court.

He also said the party had just $660 in the sole bank account he was provided with by former treasurer Hall.

He said: “When I became treasurer I was given some information about party finances. I was given financial statements for the years 1999 to 2006 in hard copy and on a flash drive but was given nothing relating to the years between 2006 and 2010.

“I was also given a cheque book but I was not given bank statements.

When I took over as treasurer of the party assets consisted of the party bank account which had $660 in it, the account was rebuilt by donations and party fundraisers.

“The hard copy documents

FLASH GORDON: Burton said he had been provided with a flash drive of PNP financial records between 1999 and 2006 but could not remember the password

handed over were discarded as a result of a termite issue at my home.

“I was also provided with a bank account number related to the PNP as part of the handover.

“I still have the flash drive but I cannot remember the password and the documents are not on my computer meaning I am of the opinion that it is on an old computer that has subsequently crashed meaning I cannot recover them.”

Floyd Hall is a lifelong friend of Burton, the pair having worked as tellers at Barclay’s Bank together in the past, and was his best man when the PNP treasurer remarried.

Lisa Hall is also a godparent to one of the Burton’s children, the court heard.

Signatories to the PNP bank

Published by Turks & Caicos News Company Ltd. Cheshire House, Leeward Highway, Providenciales P.O. Box 52, Turks & Caicos Islands, BWI W. Blythe Duncanson - Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Daisy Handfield - Staff Reporter Faizool Deo - Sports Editor (At Large) Cord Garrido-Lowe - Graphics Consultant (At Large) Dilletha Lightbourne-Williams - Office Manager Email: (Advertising) tcnews@tciway.tc, (News) tcweeklynews@gmail.com Tel. 649-946-4664 (office), 649-232-3508 (after hours) Website address: www.tcweeklynews.com Follow us on: Facebook: facebook.com/tcweeklynews Twitter: twitter.com/tcweeklynews1

account were identified as Floyd Hall, Michael Misick, Trevor Cook and Arabella Smith by Burton who said those names were all removed once he became treasurer.

One of the charges facing several defendants is conspiracy to defraud the members of the PNP for their own personal gain, in part using the party accounts.

As he was taken through a copy of the PNP constitution Burton told the court: “There is no provision within the constitution for non-party personal expenditure to be paid using the party account.”

In cross examination, John Perry QC who represents Jeffrey Hall, questioned the authority of Burton to comment on the constitution and argued that the bank account was set up as part of separate entity from the PNP party.

He said: “The name on the documents shown relating to the account reads PNP Inc but the party is not and has never been an incorporated company.

“PNP Inc is a separate entity in law and is wholly independent of the PNP designed for the purpose of holding lands.

“The treasurer has nothing to do with the constitution of the party, the point I am trying to make is that when my learned friend elicited evidence from him there is nothing in his evidence which says how the party may raise income and from what source and by what means.

“There is nothing in the evidence which provides methods to raise funds so it is entirely on the party and its officers to find how and when to raise funds.

“It is not enough to go around kissing babies, there is a financial burden in running a political party and it is not cheap running a political party.”

All the defendants deny all the charges against them.

The trial continues.

April 23 - 29, 2016

Three men in custody after supermarket robbery

BY DAISY HANDFIELD THREE men are in custody following a supermarket robbery that left the owner of a security company with multiple bullet wounds to his back and in critical condition at Cheshire Hall Medical Centre in Providenciales.

Kevin Clarke, press officer for the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RTCIPF), said that he is still unaware of the charges the men could be facing, whether or not they would be formally charged or the date that they would appear before the courts to answer to any charges that could be potentially laid against them.

Alboin Williams, owner of Tag Security Services, was shot in the back during a cash pickup at Sunny Foods supermarket in Providenciales on Sunday, April 10.

According to an eyewitness, who preferred to remain anonymous, three masked robbers waited until Williams walked out of the supermarket with a case of cash before

Alboin Williams, victim of the Sunny Foods supermarket robbery

knocking him down to the ground.

While he was on the ground, the money was taken from him and he was shot three times in his back before the robbers escaped the crime scene.

The witness said that it took police officials a long time to arrive on the scene.

Police are urging anyone with information about this incident to call Crime Stoppers on 1-800-8477 or use the Crime Stoppers reporting page at www. crimestoppers.tc.

MISSING: Police are appealing for help to find Yuneiry Veras who has been missing since Monday

Appeal to find missing woman THE ROYAL Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force is asking people to help them find a young woman who has gone missing.

Yuneiry Veras, 26, was last seen at her home in Kew Town at 2.15am on Monday (April 18).

Veras is Dominican and

is described being of brown complexion with brunette hair and a lip ring.

She was last seen wearing a black top and short blue skirt.

Police are urging anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers on 1-800-8477 or 338-5901.

April 23 - 29, 2016

NEWS

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

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Land commissioner ‘heard’ of bribes

BY JOHN TONER

THE MOST senior civil servant responsible for the TCI’s land heard of bribes being offered, a court has been told.

Tatum Fisher-Clerveaux, commissioner of lands at the Land Registry, told the SIPT court she heard of “instances” of people being offered money to speed up land applications in the past.

However, Clerveaux, who was formerly deputy commissioner of lands, insisted she had never been offered money herself during her time as a civil servant.

During cross examination by Malcolm Bishop QC, Clerveaux also told the court that the application process was flawed, the department lacked skills and that it was often people who “made the most noise” who got to the front of the queue.

She said: “We were short staffed and we did not have the adequate skills required, demand for land was greater than supply and therefore

there had to be a selection process which was done on a first come first serve basis.

“However it was difficult to tell who was first in line, one shortcoming of the Crown land application database was that it did not have the application date on applications.

“Subsequently from time to time ministers or members of the civil service would request that individuals were added to the database as a result of badgering from the applicant, meaning that the Crown Land Unit was given a priority list.

“As this is a small group of islands many of us know each other and many are related. It was the case that ministers and members of staff were badgered, people would complain to ministers on a regular basis and we had to bat off these constant enquiries.

“People would be approached in the supermarket and at church by applicants and due to human nature the people who made the most noise

were pushed up the queue.

“It wasn’t always the case but it was sometimes, we ceded to the pressure.

“I was never offered money to do this but I have heard of instances of that happening but I did not have sufficient evidence to prove it.”

Clerveaux went on to tell the court that 4,000 Crown land applications were scrapped in September 2007 due to the chaos at the Crown Land Unit and subsequently a moratorium on applications was put in place.

Following the temporary ban on applications only 36 were resubmitted when the moratorium was lifted, the court heard.

Clerveaux continued: “I do not think the system worked well, I do not think the selection process was transparent and there was administration problems.

“We did the best we could with the resources that we had.”

All the defendants deny all the charges against them.

The trial continues.

Commissioner of lands Tatum Fisher-Clerveaux

Opposition supports ‘long overdue’ immigration laws

BY OLIVIA ROSE

PDM supports new immigration laws

THE COMING into effect of the recent immigration laws has been welcomed by the People’s Democratic Movement (PDM).

Speaking at a press conference held at the party’s headquarters in Providenciales on Monday, April 11, party leader Sharlene Cartwright Robinson said the party supports the modernised legislation and systems for effective border control.

She said: “We recognise that legal and illegal immigration is at the root of many of our problems when it is not managed properly.”

The Opposition leader highlighted that the passage of legislation is only the beginning of a comprehensive system, noting that there remains a need for a total overhaul of not just

the legislation but the system and resources.

“This Government continues to introduce legislation with no real resources and therefore no real intention to enforce or give full effect to laws.”

Cartwright Robinson said the PDM since 2004 has been committed to the passage of new laws that will seek to better manage the country’s borders by creating a comprehensive system that will be supported in law and policed with adequate resources.

“We welcome a clear and objective path to citizenship through the grant of citizenship recognising that there are those among us who have made invaluable contributions to our country.”

She emphasised that her party believes that the TCI if designed can

be a top class world country.

“We believe that as we grow our population by these means, we should do so from an informed position and grow it with the skills and persons that will position us for greatness.”

In this vein the party pointed out that the census exercise completed in 2012 is yet to be released to the public.

“We must state our objection to the Government’s decision to shut down the majority of services offered by the Immigration Department on the coming into law of its immigration bills in order to carry out training and public education for a bill that has been passed for months.”

The party believes business should not be interrupted, but an alternative mechanism implemented to allow a smoother transitioning.

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TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

April 23 - 29, 2016

Pay rise for civil servants and review of minimum wage – Gov’t pledges to improve life for citizens

BY OLIVIA ROSE THE PROGRESSIVE National Party (PNP) administration said it is committed to fostering growth of the middle class while increasing job opportunities.

Governor Peter Beckingham delivered his throne speech in the House of Assembly in Grand Turk on Monday (April 18) outlining the Government’s agenda for the year.

He said: “Since coming to office the Government has created over 400 new positions in the civil service alone, and with the support for investment and development many others gained employment opportunities in the private sector.

“This will continue as more development stimulates the construction industry and as this occurs, the Government will continue to agitate for the employment of Turks and Caicos Islanders.

“But efforts will not stop there, employees in the work force need to be assured of fair compensation and be given fair opportunities for development and advancement.”

In this vein he noted that the Government will seek to make the necessary changes through the new immigration legislation to ensure that job opportunities are properly and accurately advertised and that Islanders are given fair opportunities

to be employed in those jobs.

“Modernise the labour laws to mitigate against discrimination in the work place to ensure that persons of equal or comparative qualifications receive comparable compensation regardless of nationality.

“Encourage higher remuneration commensurate with experience and responsibility by delivering another pay raise to the civil service this financial year.

“Work with the Civil Service Association to develop policies on long term and terminal benefits.

“Alleviate the strain on lower income households by conducting a comprehensive review of the minimum wage with a view to improving minimum earnings and the establishment of a living wage rather than a minimum wage.”

Governor Beckingham revealed that a review is also in the pipelines for the hospitality industry service charge that will provide workers with savings for a rainy day.

In the face of globalisation and the eventuality of free movement the Governor pointed out the need for greater protection of Turks and Caicos Islanders in the employment market.

He said: “This Government will build upon its current policy for Turks and Caicos Islanders to be given first choice for placement

Governor Peter Beckingham delivers his speech from the throne

in those positions for which they are qualified by ensuring that greater accountability is placed on employers looking to import labour.

“The Government will expand the requirements for employers to submit staffing plans beyond the resorts to include all entities as a means of ensuring that remunerations are based on job functions and not on nationality.

“The Government will continue

its efforts to fulfil its commitment to conducting a national skills audit and the development of a labour market information system that can inform of the skills currently available and those needed.”

This skills assessment he explained will inform both national immigration as well as education policies.

It will afford the Government greater insight and enable them to

permit the import of those skills that are needed and prohibit import of those that are readily available, while also funding the development of skills that are lacking through the national scholarships and grants programme.

The Government also plans to modernise the trade union legislation as an additional mechanism to protect the rights of employees from unfair labour practices and discrimination.

Fiery scenes as QCs do battle

BY JOHN TONER DRAMA gripped the SIPT court this week as attorneys traded bitter verbal blows in heated exchanges.

Ralph Thorne QC, who represents former premier Michael Misick, loudly and angrily opposed the use of certain evidence against his client, at times drawing the ire of Judge Harrison for his vociferous style.

Lead prosecutor Andrew Mitchell QC, who has employed a more reserved approach up to now, was drawn into heated exchanges with Thorne and several other QCs throughout Wednesday (April 20).

The arguments centred mainly around the admissibility of some witness evidence and the line of questioning adopted by both

Ralph Thorne QC

Lead prosecutor Andrew Mitchell QC

prosecution and defence counsel during evidence in chief, cross examination and re-examination.

Thorne told the court: “I must protest my lord, evidence provided

to the Commission of Inquiry is precluded from use in this or any other criminal trial.

“I am trying to find out if some of the evidence we have heard

has come through as a result of the Commission of Inquiry, this is a criminal trial and my client’s freedom is at stake.

“I fear that some of the evidence being put before the court, or that is intended to be brought to this court, is highly prejudicial and it cannot be allowed.”

Sharp glances were exchanged across the courtroom as Mitchell replied: “My learned friend’s line of questioning is irrelevant to the matters before this court and is quite simply unnecessary.

“It has nothing to do with evidence being passed to the Commission of Inquiry. This is fanciful, we are in wonderland.”

Tempers flared again when a bank account, said to be registered in the name of the Progressive National

Party at the formerly named Belize Bank, came to be introduced as evidence during the questioning of current PNP treasurer Gordon Burton.

Thorne told Judge Harrison that his team “admit nothing” and refused to accept the account as an agreed fact.

Back came another pointed response from Mitchell. He told the judge: “Your lordship, it is as plain as a pikestaff that this bank account existed and there is a professional responsibility from counsel to assist the court.

“If we carry on this way we may all end up spending our retirement here.”

All the defendants deny all the charges against them.

The trial continues.

April 23 - 29, 2016

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

Abundant renewable energy resources ‘untapped’

BY OLIVIA ROSE THE TURKS and Caicos Islands has one of the highest reported greenhouse gas emissions in the Caribbean due to its reliance on fossil fuels.

Almost all of its abundant renewable energy resources, such as solar and wind power, remain untapped.

This is according to a report prepared by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), a national laboratory of the US Department of Energy which leverages the experiences of islands, states, and cities that have established a long-term vision for energy transformation to achieve clean energy goals.

The report highlighted that in 2015 electricity rates in the Turks and Caicos Islands were $0.29 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), slightly below the Caribbean regional average of $0.33/kWh. Like many island nations, the TCI is almost 100 percent reliant on imported fossil fuel, leaving it vulnerable to global oil price fluctuations that have a direct impact on the cost of electricity.

According a survey which was conducted in 2015, the TCI has significant opportunities for clean energy transformation which will see the reduction in fuel imports, will greatly help to reduce emissions and will improve air and water quality.

It noted that as with other island grids, the Turks and Caicos Islands needs to invest in grid upgrades in order to see significant reductions in fuel imports.

“Abundant wind and solar resources, as well as the potential for other renewable sources could help Turks and Caicos meet or exceed its peak demand of 34.7 MW,” it read.

“Even partial development of these resources where economically viable and technically feasible from a grid integration standpoint could result in high-penetration of renewables onto the electrical grid.”

As it relates to clean energy policies the report pointed out that the Turks and Caicos Islands has few policies related to energy efficiency and renewable energy.

“Historically, the territory has not implemented policy mechanisms to aid in the development of clean and

energy-efficient technologies.

“In fact, some policies inhibit their implementation; a ban on new electricity generators, selfgeneration, and feed-in tariffs is currently in place, minimising the opportunities for clean energy development regardless of technical and economic potential.

“Current regulations and legislation do not require utilities to implement energy efficiency measures.

“The current regulatory structure allows for utility profit to be built into the budget to act as a financial buffer and a contingency in case of emergency.”

The report further outlined that the Turks and Caicos Islands has almost no experience with renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.

“Almost all renewable energy resources have remained untapped, largely because of the need to upgrade institutional and regulatory frameworks, lack of interconnection protocols, and the need for investments in distribution system upgrades.

“The region has substantial solar resources (5.7 kWh/ square metre) each day with more than 350 days of strong sunshine, strong average winds (greater than seven metres per second), powerful waves, and a large thermal gradient on the shores (necessary for ocean thermal energy conversion).”

It posited that once wave and ocean thermal technologies are proven in the marketplace, ocean energy and ocean thermal energy conversions have potential as well.

In 2010, the Turks and Caicos Islands Government contracted with a consultant to draft recommendations for exploring the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies to create a more sustainable energy framework.

In 2011, the Department of Environmental and Coastal Resources commissioned the National Energy Conservation Policy and Implementation Strategy resulting in the establishment of rules and incentives for the promotion of utility-scale and distributed renewable energy needs.

Further strategic energy planning was undertaken in 2012, although it is unclear the extent to which these planning activities have resulted in policy changes.

NEWS

Renewable energy status and potential chart

Renewable energy

Under the tree

By Benneth Williams

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TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

Workers’ spokesperson Daniel Charles

April 23 - 29, 2016

Disgruntled workers with placards

‘Victimised’ gardeners fight for justice

BY OLIVIA ROSE TWENTY-FIVE disgruntled gardeners claim they are being victimised by their employer who they say is refusing to pay what she owes them.

Workers from landscaping company Environmental Arts once again staged a protest on Tuesday (April 19).

This time they picketed the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Labour Tribunal in hopes of the Government’s intervention into what they deem as victimisation on the part of their employer.

The migrant workers from Haiti claim their employer Natalie Zaidan, owner of the business, has intensified her ill-treatment after they staged a protest outside the company’s office

in Regent Village in December 2015.

The gardeners alleged that they have been coerced into paying half of their work permit fees.

Biweekly deductions are being made from their wages disguised as a loan on official paystubs to pay for their work permits every year, they have said.

Spokesman Daniel Charles told the Weekly News: “We want our

SIPT trial to rumble on into 2017

BY JOHN TONER THE LONG awaited government corruption trial will drag on into 2017 according to the lead prosecutor.

Andrew Mitchell QC said he had expected the most significant criminal trial in the TCI’s history to take around six months but that now looks a forlorn hope.

Speaking outside court Mitchell said that the pace of witness evidence is taking much longer than expected.

He said: “I had hoped this trial would finish in six months but it is clear with the pace of evidence that it will now go into next year.

“I think we are on the seventh or eighth witness and we have over 100 witnesses to be called and we are already six weeks in.

“At the moment we are leading our case dealing with general aspects of governance and bringing various issues and concerns to the attention of the judge, in particular in relation to Crown land and the others are

cross examining on that.

“The way it appears is that there is a suggestion that the civil servants are responsible and we obviously do not accept that is the case.”

Mitchell confirmed that his team expects to call former Crown land valuation officer Shabaan Hoza after the trial takes a one week break next week and reconvenes on Monday, May 2.

All the defendants deny all the charges against them.

The trial continues.

money and we ask for justice.

“We’re asking the Governor Mr Peter Beckingham to help us get justice. We’re asking the Premier to help us find justice. We’re asking human rights to help us find justice.”

He continued: “In December 2015 we protested against the bad treatment we suffered in this company, but after that she give us a lot of pressure, saying that if we do not return to the media to withdraw our complaints against her, last year we will not get paid that very day.

“Since then she started persecuting us and cut out everything in our benefits, she cut holiday pay, she used to give us bonus in December she cut it, and she cut the hours we used to work.”

Charles explained that prior to the protest in December they worked about 108 hours per eight days.

“She calls us to tell us to stay home and she hires new guys who do not have legal status to work and we stay home because she is victimising us.”

The peeved worker told the Weekly News that a former colleague suffered an eye injury and travelled to Haiti to seek medical attention.

He noted that his colleague left the Turks and Caicos Islands with only a receipt of his work permit, while Zaidan was in possession of the original permit.

For weeks on end they pleaded with her to send the original work permit which would allow the employee to travel back to the TCI,

he claimed.

It was further noted that Zaidan told the concerned workers that she needs proof that their colleague is healthy and capable enough to travel back to the TCI. Charles said: “The doctors sent letters to her stating that he’s better now and could work. She give us her word every day and never sent the permit until it expired in her hands.

“She never sent the work permit for the man to come back and get his insurance money.”

He explained that many unfair changes had been made since their protest in December noting that they are now required to also pay half of their insurance money.

Documents showed to the Weekly News outline the 11 points of contention, some of which if true are an infringement of TCI’s labour laws.

“She did not want to sit down with us and right now she’s worse. We could see no change from her.

“We said okay we don’t want a sit-down with the 11 point no more, right now all we want is our work permit money.

“They make us work more than 108, she’s never paid for overtime.

Right now we cry for our work permit money and our overtime money.”

Most of the employees have worked for the company for over a decade and some over two decades.

Attempts by the Weekly news to reach Zaidan proved futile up to press time.

April 23 - 29, 2016

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TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

& CrimeCourt

Police issue guidance on wiping criminal records THE ROYAL Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RTCIPF) have issued a statement setting out advice for people who wish to have their criminal record erased.

In response to a number of queries on the matter police have released some guidance for those wanting to move on with life after criminality.

The statement reads: “Once you’ve served your time or other penalty for a criminal conviction, you’d probably like to leave it all behind you.

“Unfortunately, life doesn’t always work that way. Criminal convictions tend to follow you around wherever you go, making it hard to get on with your life.

“Fortunately, there is hope.

Rehabilitation by being a lawful citizen is a way to clear your record so that your criminal conviction is effectively wiped away, allowing you to get a fresh,

clean start in your life.

“The purpose of this exercise is to give individuals who may have made an unfortunate mistake a second chance.

“However, there are some circumstances or offences where the law states that an individual is not entitled to such a chance.

“Circumstances which may affect your chance of qualifying include reoffending but each case has to be looked at on its own merits.

“If you have been convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for life, such as murder, or have been sentenced to a term of imprisonment exceeding three years, such as rape, robbery or manslaughter, you will not qualify.”

The statement went on to stress that the information is purely guidance and that people should always seek independent legal advice for such matters.

Female tourist hurt in failed robbery A FEMALE tourist in her fifties has been injured after a botched armed robbery.

The 55-year-old woman was dragged along the ground as would be thieves attempted to snatch her handbag.

According to cops the victim was walking back to her hotel along Princess Drive Road, Bight, Providenciales, at around 8.39pm on Saturday, April 16, when two hooded men struck.

The men, one 6ft 3ins and the other 5ft, burst out from bushes on the side of the pavement and began pulling at the bag on the woman’s shoulder, dragging her along the pavement and causing multiple injuries.

However the men failed to get the woman’s purse and ran away when a vehicle began approaching.

During the incident a 53-year-old man attempted to help but was pistol whipped by one of the attackers with what police described as a “dark coloured hand gun”.

The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force attended the scene where the victim refused medical help and was taken back to her hotel.

An investigation is now underway but no suspects have as yet been identified and no arrests have been made.

The police are urging anyone with information to contact Chalk Sound Police Station on 339-5901.

Alternatively people can call Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1-800-8477 or by using the online reporting page at www. crimestoppers.tc.

Boat disappearance COPS have launched an appeal for information to find a missing boat.

The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force is asking people for help to locate a 25ft yellow and maroon vessel with a 250 horse power Yamaha motor.

The boat was moored at the Lewis Cox Dock in South Caicos but was discovered missing on the

morning of Friday, April 15.

It has the name ‘Corporate Creed’ written along both sides of the hull.

Police are urging anyone with information to contact South Caicos Police Station on 946-3299 or alternatively to call Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1-800-8477 or by using the online reporting page at www.crimestoppers.tc.

VANISHED VESSEL: A small speedboat has mysteriously disappeared from a South Caicos dock

Police introduce new water based product aimed at crime reduction

BY DAISY HANDFIELD POLICE have introduced a liquid solution geared at decreasing petty crime.

SmartWater CSI leaves a semipermanent mark on property that can be viewed only with the use of ultraviolet black lights.

A press conference was held on Friday, April 15, at the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RTCIPF) headquarters in Providenciales to introduce the product and to provide a demonstration on how to use it.

The force has purchased 1,000 kits for distribution across the country and to date officers have already distributed about 500 kits.

Rodney Adams, assistant commissioner for the RTCIPF, said that the system has finally been put in place after years of difficulty in combating theft and the retrieval of stolen goods.

“After many years and efforts to source this much needed tool to assist with property crime investigation, we are pleased here at the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force to present to you this product.”

Adams said that the product will be identified for use in the Turks and Caicos Islands Property Identification Partnership Programme (TCI PIPP).

The solution can be used on items such as smartphones, fishing equipment and jewellery.

Antonio Arserio, from SmartWater CSI Florida said during the conference that the water based solution with rare earth metals is made up to form a unique forensic signature.

He said: “Each bottle is unique to each user. Once you register your

Antonio Arserio of SmartWater CSI Florida and Rodney Adams, assistant commissioner at the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force

bottle with the RTCIPF, it goes into our database and everything that you mark will register back to you as the property owner.”

The solution is an invisible marker which fluoresces under an ultraviolet light.

Any item marked with the solution cannot be seen by the naked eye, but can be picked up by the ultraviolet light and tested and traced back to its owner as every single marker has a unique DNA. “It is extremely effective.

We have over 1,200 convictions

worldwide and our biggest claim to fame is the power of the deterrents of SmartWater CSI. “Virtually every neighbourhood and every community that it’s gone into, whether it’s Europe or the United States, they have seen drastic reductions in property crime or from 25 percent to as high as 75 percent,” Arserio said.

Anyone who wants a kit can contact assistant superintendent Hilton Duncan on 232-4383 in Providenciales or inspector Sandy Williams on 2326652 in Grand Turk.

10 NEWS

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

April 23 - 29, 2016

Set aside differences, Governor urges – Beckingham delivers annual throne speech

BY OLIVIA ROSE

Governor Beckingham (N.B. Please use File Photo)

PARLIAMENTARIANS were on Monday (April 18) urged to recommit to working towards the enhancement of the lives of the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Governor Peter Beckingham made the call while delivering his throne speech.

The House of Assembly resumed sitting with much pomp and ceremony after being prorogued by Premier Rufus Ewing following the passing of the 2015 to 2016 budget.

During his speech the Governor emphasised the prioritisation of the country’s citizens and called for a

MILLS MUSES

National skills audit, needs assessment or analysis?

IT IS interesting to note in the TC Weekly News that the TCI is planning a national skills audit and labour market needs assessment to get a fix on the existing labour context, and so be able to craft strategies for economic development.

It will then be better able to manage its human resources and ensure that skills align with organisational needs.

All this is needed but some clarification is necessary. Is a skills audit and market needs assessment the same?

Or is what is really meant is a professional needs analysis which comprises both?

A skills audit attempts to find out what skills exist and determines whether they are relevant in some respects but require further development in other areas.

This implies recommendations for further training and development in the deficit areas and continuous evaluation to ensure the new competencies are being implemented and the objectives realised. But it does not stand alone.

When we speak of a needs assessment it implies an evaluation of the professional needs of an organisation by dialoguing with its members to assess difficulties being experienced which hinder effective performance and suggests remedial measures to

BY OLIVER MILLS

Oliver Mills is a former lecturer in education at the UWI Mona Campus. He holds a BA (Hons.) UWI, an M.Ed. Dalhousie Univ., an MA University of London, and a Postgraduate Diploma in HRM and Training, Leicester Univ.

resolve them.

Both the skills audit and the needs assessment are aspects of each other but the latter has a broader dimension to it.

It is not one or the other since this results in an incomplete human resource development exercise which means goals will not be achieved and the strategy matching the TCI’s vision would not be aligned with the desire for a highly skilled workforce that drives productivity.

The needs assessment potentially means a change in attitudes, greater motivation and teamwork, and the fostering of a viable workforce culture.

This is because identified needs will match individual performance requirements and be culturally relevant to the objectives of the workplace.

The attempt by two external consultancies to work on the same project could mean different approaches rather than one which reflects unity in diversity.

What about the involvement of the TCI workforce development personnel to provide a more culturally grounded perspective?

To me, a most important ingredient is missing which incorporates a philosophy of workforce development.

This is a professionally based needs analysis strategy which reflects an integrated view of the workforce, its requirements and what the fix should be.

It analyses the strengths and weaknesses of the organisation choosing the elements from which the appropriate skills and knowledge are derived, linked to the relevant technology to build a competent workforce.

Here, we have a holistic strategy of workforce development, requiring consultants with effective organisational techniques who will combine these into creating a winning organisation through a highly productive workforce.

unified approach by its leaders to better address issues facing the nation.

He said: “As a parliament and as a government it is imperative that the people of these Islands continue to be placed at the forefront of your legislative agenda and it is also imperative that you set aside all differences as you fully and respectfully engage in the debates that will shape the lives of our people, for they deserve nothing less.”

Beckingham underscored that over the past three years much has been achieved but there is still room for much more to be done.

This he believes could be achieved with renewed hope and a spirit of collaboration.

He said: “There has been tremendous success here in our Islands in recent years. The economy of our nation has been stabilised, revived and has now been set on a pathway of progressive growth.

“The country’s finances have rebounded from a state of deficit and have recorded some of the highest surpluses in our history; our tourism product was and continues to be rated as one of the best in the world and this is to name just a few.”

He reminded that while it is good to reflect on achievements it must be recognised that the country stands at a critical juncture in its history, where there is a considerable amount that still remains to be accomplished.

“As we look back over the past four years, from whence we came, we can clearly see that with the help of the almighty God, that yet another

milestone has been left behind and that so too will be the challenges that lie before us.

“It is my intention today to lay before this honourable House and the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands, our plans for the future.

“The success of our economy, of our industry and of our finances must translate to the success of our people.”

In this vein he reiterated his government’s commitment to betting the lives of the people of the TCI. He said the Government will work assiduously so there is gainful employment and fair compensation, fair opportunity in the work place and in the job market.

He cited his government’s intention to create affordable and accessible modern-day education and advanced learning, affordable and accessible healthcare and treatment, safe and secure neighbourhoods where they can raise their families, protection from capitalisation of free enterprise and unfair price hikes at the pumps and in supermarkets.

Efforts are afoot to coin an enabling environment which will allow sustainable investment in the development of the Islands, he said.

Governor Beckingham noted that while some of these goals are more challenging than others they are all achievable.

He said: “I am certain that this Government can achieve these goals and by earnestly conducting the business of the people I know that this PNP Government will make these goals a reality.”

TCI passports now processed in UK AS OF this month all applications for Turks and Caicos Islands passports will be electronically transferred to the United Kingdom.

The Ministry of Border Control and Employment made the announcement on April 15.

Those who qualify and submit completed applications will experience shorter processing times and a swifter return of their printed passport, a press release from the ministry read.

The decision to transfer the printing of passports followed recommendations made by UK parliamentary committees and the National Audit Office in 2007.

They suggested that production of British passports be repatriated to Her Majesty’s Passport Office in the UK. A working group consisting of senior officials from each of the UK

overseas territories was set up in 2011 to identify potential issues and to ensure that the revised processes were workable and sustainable.

The transfer of passport applications from the Turks and Caicos Islands began in July 2015 now a time related element of the process has been introduced which will result in faster turn-around times.

In addition to this British overseas territory citizens of Turks and Caicos Islands are now bearing new style passports containing more sophisticated security features which meet international quality and security standards.

Now in the final phase of this project passports can be returned to applicants within 10 days.

More information is available at www.gov.tv/passports/ or tcipassport@gov.tc.

April 23 - 29, 2016

Governor open to independence referendum “IF THE people of an overseas territory wish to consider the possibility of independence then we will not stand in the way of a referendum.”

Those were the words of Governor Peter Beckingham who spoke about the TCI’s future during a meeting of a Grand Turk volunteer group earlier this month.

Beckingham stressed that there are “some obvious benefits to the relationship with the UK” including education, access to Europe, support for government institutions and security.

“But it would be for the people of TCI to make up their own minds about whether those benefits outweigh the advantages of becoming an independent country.”

The Governor was guest of honour and speaker at the annual dinner of the Soroptimists Grand Turk branch on April 15.

He spoke about similarities between the challenges facing the Turks and Caicos Islands and the UK. “Both our countries face important decisions about regional and global challenges, including migration, security and national disasters and our place in our regions,” Beckingham said.

“Unlike the UK and some EU

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and other countries, TCI does not currently face the ever present threat of terrorism, but we do need to ensure that we are as well prepared as possible for natural disasters and any other issues that would impact on the well-being of the people of TCI, on tourism and on the economy.

“Similarly,” the Governor continued, “both our countries face challenges about migration and the integration of minorities.”

He said that he is aware that the migration issues facing the UK and Europe are on a different scale to those of Turks and Caicos Islands.

“But as European countries tackle the problems of absorbing millions of minority communities, so TCI needs to think in the medium term about its willingness or otherwise to embrace foreigners, both from the region and globally.

“If our tourism expansion continues at the current rate then we need to make decisions about how we handle the increased demand for a skilled workforce.

“The business of international tourism, in which we are now a significant player, demands the responsible and sensitive involvement of government in all decisions, from employment to environment.”

‘All is certainly not well’ – PDM pushes for dismissal of chief prosecutor THE DIRECTOR of Public Prosecution should not remain in office while his department is being investigated, the PDM party stated this week.

This “sends the wrong message,” Opposition leader Sharlene Cartwright Robinson said in a press statement.

In March DPP John Masters admitted that an Integrity Commission investigation was ongoing but said it was due to his shake up of “unbelievable” bad practice at the department.

On Wednesday (April 20) Cartwright Robinson said: “I am aware of the issues that are plaguing the Office of the DPP and am astonished that the situation is being allowed to deteriorate at the level that it has where the DPP is under investigation while in office, where persons continue to be suspended by him, where we have seen one resignation and where the public is getting more and more exposed to the internal wrangling.”

She stressed that the office should operate “above board” while maintaining high standards and integrity.

“There was a whisper campaign that the DPP had been under investigation and I was alarmed that he saw it fit

Opposition leader Sharlene Cartwright Robinson

to confirm this to the media while attacking the members of staff that he has to work with and the office whose image he is charged to protect.

“This for me showed a lack of professionalism as well as a disrespect for his staff.

“This should not have happened and the descriptive words that he used has demonstrated to the public that all is certainly not well.”

She said that the expenditure and operation of the Office of the DPP was questioned in the House of Assembly last year and went on to be covered by local press.

“This resulted in a war of words with a media house and the DPP himself.

“I am made to understand that this led to a tension building environment in the office and things seem to have spiralled out of control to where the

new DPP is under investigation…”

She went on to say that “unlike other accused” he has remained in position while one member of staff has resigned and his office is now threatened.

“We believe that the decision to allow him to remain in office sends the wrong message and in all instances has been done at all levels to protect the integrity of the institutions or departments.

“The DPP cannot be held to a different standard and while we hear the cautious words of the premier.

“This matter is in the public and the people deserve to know that there are steps being taken to address this long term brewing issue and to return the level of professionalism, dignity and standards to this office.

“It is too critical an office to ignore.”

COMMENTARY

The devil made them do it

WE CONDUCTED an experiment. We divided the income of the TCI for the last four years by the number of genuine Belongers on the Islands.

The result was $66,666.66 dollars for every TCI Belonger.

Without government that is what every Belonger would have received. A lot of dough but do you really want anything based on the number 666? Another name for the devil!

Has old 666 been at work for 13 years in the TCI? Thirteen is not a lucky number! Was the devil busy during one of the elections?

The progressive party buried the people’s party in a mock voodoo ceremony. A casket filled with stolen PDM literature was buried.

History has shown you do not

BY DAVID TAPFER

David is a retired mobile hydraulic engineer and business executive. He has been married to Middle Caicos native Yvette Robinson Tapfer for 25 years and has lived in Conch Bar, Middle Caicos, since 2002. David formerly served as branch chairman of the PDM from 2008 to 2011

make deals with the devil. You have a few years of a high time but sooner or later you pay a terrible price for dealing with Satan!

Putting the devil aside for a moment let us ask, where did one billion dollars, $1,000 million, taxed from the TCI economy, disappear in the last four years?

Four years at $250 million government income per year equals one billion US dollars!

$160 million went into secondary healthcare, $140 million more went to pay down the progressive party’s debts (however $30 million more debt remains).

The ministers received huge salaries, expense accounts, millions in travel and personal vehicles valued at $ 80,000 each - high life for PNP ministers. Meanwhile the people suffer.

Did any of the billion install

missing drainage on the Downtown roads? Was the Government building in Middle Caicos finished?

Was the causeway improved or is it back to where it was in 2007 before little hurricane Hanna ruined it? Were developers found to take over Royal Reef or St Charles place?

Name the resorts approved by the progressives. In Grand Turk the minister of works has let his island down as the capital crumbles.

Washington had already built his private casino. It took the urging of the media and Opposition to approve a school, over 10 years late.

Election looms and the price of electricity has now gone down interesting?

Promises are being made again.

Will voters believe ministers? Will they believe Rufus and Washington?

Will crime go down under

progressives who were in charge as crime went up?

The people’s Opposition had a press conference and is facing Islanders with their programmes.

Their demeanour at the first briefing was interesting. They were sombre and serious.

The PDM has always known what to do and they want to serve. They prayed to God. The resorts vented during the PDM’s eight years financed the progressive highlife for 13 years.

Meanwhile what has happened in Middle, North, South Caicos and Grand Turk is now occurring in Provo. Sliding backwards, ever backwards.

Yes we will hear progressive promises made. No one believes them. After all, the devil made them do it.

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George Lightbourne, Minister for Home Affairs, Transportation and Communication, attempts to reason with the protestors

April 23 - 29, 2016

‘Beaches does not care about Turks and Caicos Islanders’ is written on a sign displayed by one taxi driver

Taxi drivers complain about ‘unfair treatment’

BY DAISY HANDFIELD TAXI DRIVERS have protested against what they call unfair treatment by Beaches resort.

Anger erupted after a small number of drivers were apparently given exclusive contracts to collect tourists on behalf of the holiday company resulting in days of demonstration outside their Grace Bay hotel complex.

Taxi driver Lloyd Stubbs said that many times he and his colleagues have to undercharge in order to find work.

Stubbs also said that if contracts

are given to about 20 taxi drivers on the line, the other 170 plus drivers on the line are left with very limited amount of work.

He said: “We are fed up with that because when they finish their job, they are allowed to come to the airport and work with us, in the same bus and get the same amount of the pie.

“We are all public service licence holders so we are staging a peaceful protest on the side of the road in front of Beaches.

“We are not obstructing them or stopping their guests from moving and we are organised where the

Taxi drivers protest in front of Beaches Turks and Caicos

airport still has a continuous flow of tourism.

“We are quite aware of our tourist product, but our financials are being subverted by these contracts.”

George Lightbourne, Minister of Home Affairs, Transportation and Communication, was present during two consecutive days of the protest and spoke to the taxi drivers to get a better understanding of their concerns.

Lightbourne said that they outlined in detail to him what their concerns are and he is committed to looking into them to determine their legitimacy.

The taxi drivers also committed to giving him in written form a copy of all of their concerns.

“We will be looking at them and analysing them to determine whether or not they are legitimate.

“They have a right to protest so I am not here to say to them get away and don’t protest.

“We now as the Government have to look at these concerns and analyse them,” Lightbourne said.

The minister said that he is not in a position to comment whether or not the market is big enough for the number of taxi drivers on the line.

He reiterated that he is committed to addressing the issue.

Beaches Turks and Caicos was contacted for a comment and told this newspaper that a release will be issued soon.

Puppet show hits Providenciales TWO talented puppeteers are set to perform in the TCI for the first time this Saturday (April 23).

The Turks and Caicos Friends of the Art Foundation (TCFAF) is set to present ‘The Amazing Thing’ featuring acting and live music.

Daniel and Liz Lempen are master puppeteers, puppet makers and storytellers, and will be bringing their skills to Brayton Hall, Providenciales According to a TCFAF press release: “Peter Grimm opens a box to find a ‘thing’ that takes him on an unusual journey, weaving its way through a medley of wellknown Brothers Grimm tales to finally unlock his imagination and free his stories.”

The show takes place at 2pm and 6pm and tickets cost just $5 for children.

April 23 - 29, 2016

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

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April 23 - 29, 2016

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

Regional bank boss visits TCI NEWLY appointed chief executive officer of CIBC FirstCaribbean, Gary Brown, got a first-hand look at local bank operations and projects in the TCI during a recent two-day visit.

Accompanied by country manager Larry Lawrence and managing director of Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands, Marie RodlandAllen, Brown took the opportunity to meet staff and strengthen customer relationships.

Lawrence said: “CIBC FirstCaribbean is driven towards growth and the CEO believes that growth will be achieved with our clients.

“Every opportunity he has to meet clients he does. When he took the opportunity to come here, his focus was not on having internal meetings, it was on the clients.

“He wants the clients to have strong relationships with him, and by extension the bank. It was entirely about them.”

Minutes after touchdown,

Brown and Rodland-Allen had an impromptu meeting with one of the bank’s larger clients, the TCI Airport Authority.

The executives also met with corporate client Stan Hartling, owner and developer of the Shore Club.

Hartling gave the party a tour of the development and presented the plans and progress of the project.

Brown and Rodland-Allen also met with Niguel Streete, the new managing director of the Turks and Caicos Islands Financial Services Commission (FSC) and head of bank and trust at the FSC Marlon Joseph at a luncheon at the Asu Restaurant at the Alexandria Resort.

Brown has been with CIBC since 2001, most recently as the global head of corporate banking in CIBC’s wholesale banking business since 2013 and a member of CIBC’s Operating Committee.

He has more than 35 years of experience in the global financial services industry.

Crown Land Unit gets new deputy heads TWO new deputy directors have taken stepped up to the plate at the Crown Land Unit.

Curvalene Godet and Sharon Brown were appointed to the unit within the Lands Division, Attorney General’s Chambers, last week.

Godet from South Caicos holds an international and commercial law Master’s Degree from the University of Buckingham, UK, and a Bachelor’s Degree in international relations from Florida International University, Miami.

Prior to joining the Crown Land Unit, she was a police sergeant and training manager with the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force.

Godet said: “I sincerely appreciate this opportunity and will continue to give my best to the civil service and our customers.

“I look forward to assisting the

hard working staff in the Crown Land Unit, with enhancing the overall quality of service that we provide.”

Sharon Brown is an attorneyat-law called to the Jamaican Bar in 2004 and the holder of a Bachelors of Law Degree and Bachelor of Arts Degree in history.

She has over ten years’ experience in land administration in the capacity of a legal officer, land tenure specialist, and manager.

She was also instrumental in organising the first Adjudication Committee established under the Land Administration and Management Programme, Jamaica.

Department director Leroy Charles said: “These appointments have substantially increased the technical capability of the department and now we are now better resourced to carry out the department’s mandate.”

Bank boss Brown and managing director of Bahamas and TCI Marie Rodland-Allen meet the staff at the Grace Bay and Leeward branches.

CIBC FirstCaribbean CEO Gary Brown is introduced to Niguel Streete, the new managing director of the Turks and Caicos Islands Financial Services Commission

Revenue Display business Department licences or face relocates fine, Gov’t stresses BUSINESS licence certificates are available for collection at assigned Revenue Department offices.

In a statement on Thursday (April 21) the Government urged business owners to collect and display their licences prominently in their place of business.

Otherwise they may be liable for a fine of $1,000.

In addition the Revenue Department has introduced a business licence application and renewal checklist.

The checklist is designed to

indicate to applicants the licences, clearances and other supporting documents required for each business type and activity.

A checklist must be attached to all applications and incomplete applications will not be accepted.

The Revenue Department reserves the right to request any further information as deemed necessary to process a business licence application.

“The introduction of the checklist is intended to increase transparency and mitigate delays in processing,” the release read.

THE REVENUE Department will be moving to a new location next week.

From Monday, April 25, it will be located at the former TCI Bank building in Butterfield Square, Down Town, Providenciales.

Telephone and fax numbers will remain the same.

According to a press release from the department: “We have enjoyed doing business with you and appreciate your support.

“We hope you will get acquainted with our new facility soon. We have ample parking.”

More information is available at http://gov.tc/revenue, or tcirevenuedepartment@gov.tc.

April 23 - 29, 2016

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

Superintendent Kendall Grant

NEWS 15

Police are showing a strong presence in the community

Residents can expect a stronger police presence

BY DAISY HANDFIELD IT IS no secret that officers from the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RTCIPF) have been showing a stronger presence on the streets in recent weeks.

In addition to mobile and foot patrol they are also issuing tickets to people without proper vehicle licence and insurance, residents with expired or no driver’s license and

residents who do not obey the speed limits.

Kendall Grant, superintendent for the RTCIPF, said that the increase in patrol is in keeping with the force’s strategic plan to improve the use of their resources, processes and systems and to improve their services throughout the community.

He said: “Most definitely they can look forward to having a greater presence in our community

especially foot patrol.

“There was a resource challenge that we had. The patrol strategy was always in place, but we had more mobile patrol and with the support of the Commissioner and the Government I can now say that we are able to have foot patrol which enhances the patrol strategy.”

Grant wanted to reassure the community of their commitment

The youngsters are able to grasp the information well through demonstrations

to increase response time to incidents and to the reduction of crime.

He said that these are two of the objectives that they are trying to achieve through this strategy.

He said: “We are committed to serving our community and we recognise that the patrols that we have in place is only one step in moving with the force goal and we do need the continuous support from

the public.

“I want to ensure the public that we are listening to their concerns, hence we have made an intentional effort to get the patrols in areas where they were concerned about.

“This is the kind of feedback and relationship that we want from our community.

“Foot patrol gives us a greater opportunity to interact with persons in the community.”

Students at Provo Primary School participate in arts and crafts for Turtle Week

School dedicates a week to local wildlife

BY DAISY HANDFIELD FOR the past two years all the children at Provo Primary School in Providenciales have dedicate a week on their calendar to learning about the wildlife of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Turtle Week was celebrated from Monday (April 18) to Friday (April 22).

After learning about ospreys and

sharks in previous years, the students’ focus this year was on turtles.

Principal Sian Jones said that Turtle Week focuses on discovering more about the chosen animal, how it is a part of the local ecosystem, conservation projects in the TCI and how the children can play a role in protection and preservation of the turtles or any other animal they focus on.

She said that the younger years

participated in a lot of arts and crafts.

Jones said that she hopes that the local wildlife weeks inspire an interest in the children and help them to develop and grow up with an outlook in which they can see ways in which they can truly make a difference.

She said: “I think it is a fantastic opportunity for the children to really learn about the wildlife around us and for us to benefit from the amazing

experts that came in to teach them.”

The principal added that due to the fact that the children receive a lot of first-hand experiences, it is easier for them to grasp the information.

Some of the activities that the students participated in included a turtle puppet workshop for the Lempen Puppet Theatre Company, presentations and workshops with local environmental experts from

the Department of Environment and Maritime Affairs (DEMA) and Amanyara Nature Discovery Centre and a first-hand experience of tagging a turtle at Coral Gardens.

The students also helped to create an acrylic painting under the guidance of local artist Lucie Winton-Stubbs and viewed phenomenal turtle photography by David Gallardo and Sean Brady.

Lifestyle...

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TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

GARDENING 

April 23 - 29, 2016

HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW

Ready for a little repotting?

BY DENIS BELANGER - NATURE SPLENDOR

Denis is a passionate landscape architect who enjoys the creative process and his clients’ joy when projects come to life. Contact Denis at Nature Splendor for your landscaping, installation or garden maintenance needs.

For more information call 332-3381 or email denis@naturesplendor.net.

IT’S NOT that difficult even if it’s your first try at repotting a plant, and if you’re an old hand at it you may discover some helpful new techniques.

Before you remove a plant from its pot always make sure that you have enough potting mix on hand and then follow these steps: 1. A day or two before you plan to repot give your plants a thorough watering because they’re easier to repot when the growing mix is moist.

2. Pour some potting mix into a bucket or bowl and add an equivalent amount of warm water, then blend thoroughly.

Most soilless potting mixes are somewhat water repellent when dry so you need to stir them.

Aim for a consistency a little drier than muffin batter. If the mix is too dry add more water, too liquid and add a bit more medium.

Adding a drop or two of liquid soap to the water also helps the mix to absorb moisture more readily.

You can seal any leftover mix in a plastic bag or container and save it for your next potting session.

3. To remove the plant from its old pot, slip your hand over the top of the pot, holding the plant’s stem between your fingers and turn the pot upside down.

4. Tap the rim of the pot firmly against a hard surface such as a table and then gently pull the pot upwards to remove the plant.

If the plant refuses to budge, tap the pot against the hard surface a few more times and try again.

It may take two pairs of hands (one pair pulling on the pot while the other pair holds the plant) to remove big plants from large pots.

You also may have to run a knife blade around the inside of the pot’s rim to remove the plant or first cut away roots extending from the drainage holes.

If that doesn’t work you may actually have to break the pot to remove the plant.

5. Examine the root ball. If the root ball is less healthy or if the plant has been in the same pot for more than 18 months you must do some cleaning up before repotting it.

If some of the roots appear dead, damaged or rotten (or circle the inside of the pot, indicating probable under potting), you need to prune them off.

6. If thick roots totally encircle the plant, cut away a half to one inch slice of roots and soil with a sharp knife, not only all around the pot but also from the bottom.

Don’t cut away healthy roots of plants that don’t like being re-potted, such as the clivia.

If you intend to repot the plant into a pot of the same size or smaller, prune back even more harshly.

You can remove up to one-third of the old roots (or one-third of the root ball) without harming the plant.

7. Remove about one-third of the old potting mix from the root ball, loosening it gently with your fingers, a stake, a pencil or a chopstick inserted straight down into the roots.

It’s no loss, the soil is most likely contaminated with mineral salts.

8. Pour in a layer of the premoistened potting mix made in step two. Use just enough so that the top

of the roots are at the same level as the pot’s rim projection.

9. Set the plant in the pot, turning it to make sure it is completely centred and begin adding soil.

Use your fingers or a chopstick to work the potting mix down among the roots. Press just hard enough to eliminate any large air pockets without compressing the soil.

10. Add the potting medium until

the roots are well covered and then even out the mix with your fingers or a spoon.

11. Water well, let drain and you’re done!

Try to keep any newly re-potted plant out of full sunlight for a week or so, and then reintroduce it to its permanent home.

You can begin fertilising again in about one month.

April 23 - 29, 2016

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

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Regional News

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

Hurricane season outlook ramps up after tame 2015 WITH the 2016 Atlantic hurricane season officially due to get underway on June 1, the respected climatology team at Colorado State University (CSU) has released its outlook for the upcoming season.

The initial forecast is for a total of 12 named storms, 5 hurricanes and 2 major hurricanes, which is very close to the long-term average of 12 named storms, 6 hurricanes and 2 major hurricanes.

This year’s forecast nevertheless calls for more activity than the 2015 Atlantic hurricane season, which was slightly below normal as hostile winds from El Niño depressed tropical activity.

According to Phil Klotzbach, lead author of the CSU hurricane outlook, El Niño’s demise is one of several factors that CSU considered in developing its outlook for a more active season this year.

El Niño, characterised by warmerthan-normal waters in the eastern and central part of the tropical Pacific, is an important predictor for hurricane activity because it generates stronger upper-level westerly winds that can tear storms apart in the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean.

This year’s El Niño event, which reached historic levels this winter, is nevertheless now in decline.

There are several models that predict the future state of El Niño, most of which are calling for either neutral or La Niña (the climatic opposite of El Nino) in the tropical Pacific for the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season from AugustOctober. Should this prove correct, upper-level winds should be much more conducive for hurricane formation and intensification.

At least five hurricanes, two major ones, are predicted this season.

According to Professor Klotzbach, two models which have reasonably good predictive skill for El Niño are the European Centre for MediumRange Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) model as well as the Climate Forecast System (CFS) model.

Both of these models use an ensemble approach, where the model is run with slightly different initial conditions and run forward in time.

The average of these ensembles call for cool neutral to La Niña conditions for the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season.

Currently, the far North Atlantic is much colder than normal. The remainder of the Atlantic is relatively warm, with the exception of some colder than normal water emerging off of the west coast of Africa. It is these two areas of cold water that are one of the reasons why CSU is not predicting an above-average hurricane season.

Typically, colder-than-normal water in the far North Atlantic is indicative of a negative phase of the

Atlantic Multi-decadal Oscillation (AMO). When the AMO is negative, it tends to portend quieter periods for Atlantic hurricanes.

The cold waters in the far North Atlantic tend to force higher pressure in the tropics and subtropics, as has been the case this winter. Associated with this higher pressure are stronger low-level trade winds in the tropical Atlantic which then force cooler SSTs in the tropical Atlantic. In addition, higher pressure in the tropics means more dry air and sinking motion which tends to suppress deep thunderstorm activity, the building blocks for hurricanes.

It nevertheless remains to be seen whether the cooling in the tropical Atlantic and higher-than-normal pressures will continue.

At present, the thinking behind the CSU forecast is that the unfavourable Atlantic conditions will counteract the more favourable La Niña conditions and lead to a near-average hurricane season. (Caribbean360)

April 23 - 29, 2016

Purported ISIS threat to attack BVI and USVI may not have been credible LOCAL and federal authorities had to move swiftly last week to address reports spreading throughout the territory about a possible terrorist threat in the U.S. or British Virgin Islands, said VITEMA Director Mona Barnes via a press release on Thursday last. The Consortium learned early Thursday about a purported ISIS threat to attack the BVI, prompting the islands’ government to review security measures and hold urgent meetings.

According to the release, US Coast Guard officials reported to VITEMA that at approximately 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, the US Coast Guard Command Center at San Juan received a telephone call from an unknown individual who stated that a terrorist threat was made against the British Virgin Islands’ Beef Island Airport and against the US Virgin Islands in general.

As a matter of protocol, the incident was provided as situational awareness to port and facility security personnel in the territory. Since then, the situational awareness report has been circulated and re-circulated and has emerged in social media networks as factual information.

Numerous residents had also called into VITEMA to inquire about the status of flights into the USVI and whether there is an elevated threat level currently in

effect.

“VITEMA is working in close collaboration with local and federal authorities including the US Department of Homeland Security, US Coast Guard, FBI and the VI Police Department, to verify whether this threat is credible and whether elevated security measures are necessary,” Ms. Barnes said.

She added: “Presently, we have no specific, credible intelligence of any plot to attack the British or US Virgin Islands. This threat is considered unconfirmed. At present, our ports continue to operate at the normal level of security with no changes in scheduled flights into and out of the territory.

However, if the level of port security changes, VITEMA will update the public as soon as new information becomes available.”

Ms. Barnes added that VITEMA is the official source of information for any threat to the territory.

“I want to also assure the community that VITEMA, working with local and federal partners, remains fully engaged in the effort to identify and disrupt terrorist activity in the US Virgin Islands,” she said.

Governor Kenneth Mapp and his staff were apprised of the threat on Wednesday and have been closely monitoring the incident.

New rules in Bermuda set to target shell companies BERMUDA’S decision to sign up to a country-by-country reporting agreement for multinational companies could be used to target shell companies using the island for tax avoidance.

Bradley Kading, president and executive director of the Association of Bermuda Insurers and Reinsurers, said: “The main impact of the country by country reporting will likely be to call attention to shell companies formed by non-Bermuda multinationals in which little on the ground economic activity takes place in Bermuda.

“The documentation and reporting will likely lead to more and more nonBermudian multinational companies deciding either to close a Bermuda shell company or add economic substance to that company in order to meet expectations of economic

activity tied to the company.”

But Mr Kading pointed out that Abir estimates that Bermuda is host to only 2 per cent of the companies incorporated in leading British territories.

He said: “Bermuda has never been the shell company domicile of choice for obvious reasons.

“Bermuda has collected beneficial ownership information for 70 years, has never been a bank secrecy jurisdiction and has actively exchanged tax information with all the G20 nations and all our leading trading partners.

“Bermuda regularly shares information with tax, regulatory and law enforcement authorities. This is not a place you go to hide money from a tax collector.”

And he added that Abir “fully support” the decision to adopt

Complying: Bob Richards, the Minister of Finance, announced that Bermuda has signed up to new country-by-country reporting standards.

the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development reporting standards.

Mr Kading said: “Abir members are mostly Bermuda multinationals

with their ultimate holding companies and important legal entities here.”

He was speaking after Bob Richards, the Minister of Finance,

said Bermuda had fallen in line with the OECD reporting regime.

The move means companies with international operations will have to file detailed country-by-country reports by the end of next year.

The country-by-country reporting scheme follows Bermuda’s decision two years ago to adopt the OECD’s automatic tax information exchange regime, the common reporting standard.

Mr Richards said: “We were one of the first jurisdictions in the world to sign up to the common reporting standard in 2014 as an early adopter of CRS and so I am proud Bermuda is again setting an example in adopting the country-by-country reporting regime without hesitation.

“Our government is committed to upholding international best practice in tax transparency.”

April 23 - 29, 2016

Regional News

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

19

Jamaica moves towards ditching Queen, impeachment legislation and term limits

The larger of the two occurred around 376 kilometres east of Bridgetown, Barbados; 532 km east of Castries, St. Lucia; and 555 km east south east of Fort-de-France, Martinique, according to University of the West Indies’ Seismic Research Centre (SRC).

6.9 magnitude tremor among two Caribbean earthquakes TWO earthquakes, one a 6.9 magnitude tremor east of Barbados, were registered in the Caribbean this morning, but neither caused damage or injury.

The larger of the two occurred around 6:52 a.m., 376 kilometres east of Bridgetown, Barbados; 532 km east of Castries, St. Lucia; and 555 km east south east of Fort-de-France, Martinique, according to University of the West Indies’ Seismic Research Centre (SRC).

The preliminary strength of the quake, given in the automated earthquake location system, was 6.4 magnitude. However, it was later put at 6.9 magnitude, at a depth of 155 kilometres, after the results were reviewed by a seismologist.

Just about two hours earlier, at 4:56 a.m., a 3.0 magnitude quake occurred 59 kilometres north

northeast of St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda; 121 kilometres east northeast of Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis; and 153 kilometres north of Point-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe.

Following the tremors, residents expressed concern on the SRC Facebook page about the frequency and intensity of earthquakes across the world.

Japan, Ecuador and Tonga were all hit by major earthquakes between last Thursday and Sunday.

Seismologist at the University of Colorado, Roger Bilham, has warned of a mega quake in the near future.

Closer home, Dr Joan Latchman of the SRC, says the region needs to prepare itself for a big earthquake, noting that the Eastern Caribbean has not seen a large quake since 1843 and people should be prepared for one to hit at any time. (Caribbean360)

Legislation to allow impeachment proceedings against corrupt public officials and Parliamentarians, constitutional amendments to transition Jamaica to a republic and fixed election dates and term limits are on the priority list of the Jamaica Government for 2016.

Governor General Sir Patrick Allen highlighted those plans, among others, as he delivered the Throne Speech during the 2016/17 ceremonial opening of Parliament on Monday.

He told Members of Parliament and Senators the issues were among the “major action items” on the government’s legislative agenda for this year.

Listing those items, Sir Patrick said a Constitution (Amendment) Bill will be laid to, among other things, replace the Queen with a nonexecutive President as Jamaica’s Head of State; Parliament will see legislation to create fixed election dates and term limits for the Prime Minister; legislation to provide for impeachment proceedings to be brought against corrupt public officials and Parliamentarians is on the cards; and an Integrity Commission Bill will establish a single anti-corruption body.

Changes are also coming in the criminal justice system.

According to Sir Patrick, there will be further amendment to the Dangerous Drugs Act “to give full legalization for marijuana to be used for specified purposes”.

The Governor General reported that a Criminal Justice (Plea Negotiations & Agreements) (Amendment) Bill, providing for reduced sentences on guilty pleas, will be laid; and a Judicature (Resident Magistrate) (Amendment)

Sir Patrick Allen announced in his Throne Speech that laws to allow for impeachment, a fixed date for elections, and term limits for prime ministers are high on government’s legislative agenda this year.

Bill will give the prosecution the right to appeal inadequate sentences and allow for a retrial where a verdict has been contaminated, by jury tampering, for example.

The Judicature (Resident Magistrate) (Amendment) Bill will also introduce stiffer penalties for obstructing or perverting the course of justice; a Judicial Accountability legislation will be enacted to ensure judicial accountability for performance and behaviour in office; a Mutual Assistance (Criminal Matters) (Amendment) Bill will allow for the introduction of evidence by TV link and videorecorded evidence; and amendments will be made to the Trafficking in Persons (Prevention, Suppression and Punishment) Act, to prosecute offences under the Act without a jury, Sir Patrick added.

In his speech, which had as its theme, ‘Building a Partnership for Prosperity’, Sir Patrick outlined other priorities for the government.

He said the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) administration which came to office in the February 25 general election intends to reposition tourism to generate higher rates of growth in job creation, visitor arrival and earnings.

Sir Patrick said the Tourism Linkages Hub will be strengthened to create pathways and opportunities to facilitate strong economic linkages between tourism and other sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture and entertainment, and legislation is being developed to create a Tourism Workers’ Pension Scheme, which will deal with seasonality, selfemployment and contract work in the industry.

Bahamas pastors split over gender equality referendum TOP religious leaders across denominations united on Tuesday to declare their hope that Bahamians vote yes to all questions during the gender equality referendum on June 7.

The church leaders, including Bishop Neil Ellis of Global United Fellowship of Churches, Bishop Laish Boyd of the Anglican Diocese and Archbishop Patrick Pinder of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese, urged Bahamians not to send a political message by rejecting the amendments.

“I’m of the view that the last referendum held not too long ago has left a bitter taste in people’s mouths,” Bishop Ellis said, referring to the 2013 referendum on gaming.

“I’m further of the view that this is not the time to teach this government a lesson for what we think didn’t go

right; there’s too much at stake this time.”

The press conference was a contrast to a prayer session hosted in Rawson Square Monday evening by pastors urging Bahamians to vote no to the fourth Constitutional Amendment Bill, which seeks to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex.

Leaders said their event was not a reaction to that campaign, adding that diverging opinions among pastors does not mean there is significant division in the religious community.

Rev Derek Browne of the Methodist Church in the Caribbean and the Americas; Bishop Franklyn Ferguson, national overseer of the Church of God of Prophecy in the Bahamas; and Rev Dr William Thompson, senior pastor of Faith United Missionary Baptist Church,

also attended yesterday’s conference to voice their support for the bills.

Some said they were initially critical of the fourth bill and inclined to reject it; but after an exhaustive consultation process that involved amending the bill, they now unequivocally support it.

They suggested they were perplexed that some still insist that the bill will lead to same-sex marriage.

“Persons are entitled to have their opinions,” Bishop Boyd said.

“People are entitled to be steeped in their consciousness. I have looked at bill number four, listened extensively to all sorts of views on it. I cannot see how it would lead to same-sex marriage. But I would not want to judge anyone’s intentions because I simply do not have enough data to do that.”

He added that “tens of thousands of” people are “disenfranchised and traumatised” by having different rules for men and women, as is currently the case under the Constitution.

“Families we all know and love are in anguish and turmoil - and it is not right,” he said, adding that some of the phobia surrounding the bills stems from prejudice against Haitians and Jamaicans.

For his part, Archbishop Pinder said the referendum constitutes one of the “more important exercises of our democratic way of life.”

“There are those among us who feel that the government of the day ought to be taught a lesson,” he said. “Those who hold this opinion are free to do so. However, to use this referendum to act out this opinion would be a grand mistake. The time and forum for

acting on such opinions is not this referendum.”

Despite their support, none of the pastors said they would join the campaign to promote a yes vote.

Under the first Constitutional Amendment Bill, a child born outside of the Bahamas would become a Bahamian citizen at birth if either its mother or father is a citizen of the Bahamas by birth.

The second bill would give the foreign spouse of a Bahamian woman the same right to apply for citizenship that the foreign wife of a Bahamian man enjoys.

The third bill would allow a Bahamian father of a child born out of wedlock to be able to pass his citizenship to that person subject to legal proof that he is the father. The fourth bill seeks to end discrimination based on sex. (Tribune242)

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TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

April 23 - 29, 2016

World News

Queen’s 90th birthday: Royal children pictured with monarch to mark milestone A PHOTOGRAPH of the Queen surrounded by her five greatgrandchildren and her two youngest grandchildren has been released to mark her 90th birthday.

It is one of three images taken by celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz.

Celebrations get under way later as the Queen takes part in a walkabout in Windsor and lights a symbolic beacon.

Prime Minister David Cameron said in a video tribute that the Queen had been “steadfast - a rock of strength for our nation, for our Commonwealth”.

Gun salutes take place around the UK at noon, while the prime minister is expected to lead tributes to Britain’s longest serving monarch in the Commons.

Mr Cameron is expected to say: “Her Majesty The Queen has lived through some extraordinary times in our world.

“From the Second World War to the rations with which she bought the material for her wedding dress.

“From presenting the World Cup to England at Wembley in 1966 to man landing on the moon three years later.

“From the end of the Cold War to peace in Northern Ireland.

Hillary Clinton enjoyed a double-digit win in New York over Democratic rival Bernie Sanders.

The Queen with her great-grandchildren and youngest grandchildren. From left: James, Viscount Severn; Lady Louise Windsor; Mia Tindall (holding the Queen’s handbag); Princess Charlotte; Isla Phillips; Prince George and Savannah Phillips.

“Throughout it all, as the sands of culture shift and the tides of politics ebb and flow, Her Majesty has been steadfast - a rock of strength for our nation, for our Commonwealth and on many occasions for the whole world.”

The other photographs by Leibovitz show the monarch walking in the grounds of Windsor Castle with four of her dogs and sitting with her daughter, the Princess Royal.

The image of the Queen with the young royals was taken in the Green Drawing Room, part of Windsor Castle’s semi-State apartments just after Easter.

In it, the Queen - in the tradition of royal portraiture - holds her youngest great-grandchild Princess Charlotte, who is 11 months, in her arms.

Also appearing in the image is two-year-old Prince George, Zara Phillips’s two-year-old daughter Mia Tindall, who holds the Queen’s famous black handbag, and Peter Phillips’s daughters Savannah, five, and three-year-old Isla.

The Queen is also joined by the two youngest of her eight grandchildren the Earl and Countess of Wessex’s children - James, Viscount Severn, eight, and Lady Louise Windsor.

(BBC)

Brexit yes vote would be end of EU as we know it, Gove says JUSTICE Secretary Michael Gove said a British vote to leave the European Union on June 23 would spark a reaction among people across Europe that would force the 28-nation bloc to change beyond recognition.

There would be a “democratic liberation” of Europe, with opponents of budget cuts, austerity and regulation imposed by the EU following Britain’s lead in a so-called Brexit and overturning decades of bureaucratic and undemocratic centralization, Gove said in a speech in London on Tuesday.

Gove, a close friend of Prime Minister David Cameron, adopted the language of socialism to argue that Greeks opposed to “dreadful austerity,” Spaniards enduring joblessness and Portuguese facing cuts to health and welfare spending would join with Danes, Poles and Italians to reject the EU. “For Europe, Britain voting to leave will be the beginning of something potentially even more exciting -- the democratic liberation of a whole continent,” he said. U.K. success outside the bloc will “send a message to the EU’s peoples, they

will see that a different Europe is possible. It is possible to regain democratic control of your own country and currency, to trade and cooperate with other EU nations without surrendering sovereignty to a remote and unelected bureaucracy.”

Gove further deepened divisions in the Tory party by pouring scorn on arguments by Cameron and Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne that EU nations would block trade with the U.K. in the event of a Brexit. His adviser, Dominic Cummings, told reporters he had spoken to “umpteen” ambassadors who said they would do a deal with Britain after a “Leave” vote but weren’t allowed to say so in public.

Gove, one of Cameron’s closest political allies before the two decided to back different sides in the referendum, also used the speech to belittle two of the main gains the prime minister cited from his negotiations with other European leaders before he called the vote.

An opt-out from the EU drive toward “ever closer union,” which Cameron heralded as a major victory, “makes no difference,” Gove said.

He also warned that concessions won by Cameron on access to welfare, which the premier claimed would slow immigration to the U.K., won’t work.

With fewer than 10 weeks to go until the plebiscite, both sides of the argument are ramping up their rhetoric over the merits of EU membership. On Monday, Osborne warned that a Brexit would cause “permanent” damage to the U.K. economy. Gove responded that a vote to leave is the “safer choice” for Britain.

“If we vote to stay we are not settling for the status quo, we are voting to be a hostage, locked in the boot of a car driven by others to a place and at a pace that we have no control over,” Gove said. “If we vote to leave we take back control.”

Polling is inconclusive, with some indicating the vote will be tight, and others showing a lead for the “remain” side. An Orb poll for the Telegraph published on Tuesday showed 52 percent of voters plan to opt to remain, with 43 percent choosing to leave. YouGov Plc’s most recent polls show a much narrower margin.

Trump, Clinton win NY, take big step toward presidential nomination FRONT-RUNNERS Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton rolled to easy wins in New York state’s presidential nominating contests on Tuesday, recapturing lost campaign momentum and taking big steps toward capturing their respective parties’ nominations.

Republican Trump’s huge victory in his home state pushed him closer to capturing the 1,237 delegates needed to win his party’s presidential nomination and avoiding a contested national convention in July.

Clinton’s dominating double-digit win in New York, which she once represented in the U.S. Senate, snapped a winning streak by Democratic rival Bernie Sanders and made it nearly impossible for Sanders to overtake her commanding lead in the delegates needed to win the nomination.

The Trump and Clinton victories in one of the biggest state nominating contests so far set up both front-runners for strong performances next Tuesday, when they are expected to do well in five other Northeastern state primaries.

Trump appeared poised to win

most or all of New York’s 95 Republican delegates, easily beating U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and Ohio Governor John Kasich, 63. Trump had 60 percent of the statewide vote with more than threefourths of the results counted.

The billionaire businessman could win all the delegates if his eventual vote total remains above 50 percent statewide and he takes half the vote in each of New York’s congressional districts.

“We don’t have much of a race anymore based on what I’m seeing on television,” Trump, 69, told cheering supporters at a victory party at his Trump Tower in Manhattan.

“We are really, really rocking.”

He said the party establishment forces that have tried to prevent him from a first-ballot victory at the convention “are in trouble,” and repeated his criticism of a “crooked” system that has allowed Cruz to outmaneuver him and win delegates in a series of recent state conventions.

Singapore overtakes Hong Kong in financial centre index SINGAPORE has overtaken Hong Kong to become the third ranked financial centre in the 19th Global Financial Centres Index.

London remains the top financial centre ahead of New York. Tokyo is in fifth place, according to the bi-annual index which rates 86 financial centres.

The Cayman Islands dropped seven places from 34 to 41. With the exception of Mexico City, all financial centres in Latin America and the Caribbean saw significant falls in the rating. The BVI dropped three ranks to 46 and Bermuda tumbled nine spots to 50th position. Guernsey and Jersey also fell by nine and 12 places in the index to 62 and 66 respectively.

“Whilst London and New York still lead the field, the next three centres are all Asian,” says Mark Yeandle, associate director at the Z/Yen Group and the author of the GFCI. “Five of the top 10

centres are now North American, perhaps reflecting the surge in Fintech and blockchains.”

Seven of the top 10 Asia-Pacific centres saw a drop in their ratings, with Seoul and Sydney showing the largest falls. However, Singapore, Tokyo and Beijing rose slightly in the GFCI 19.

London remains just ahead of New York to retain the number one position by just eight points.

“The GFCI is on a scale of 1,000 points and a lead of eight is fairly insignificant,” said Z/Yen group, which published the report.

“We continue to believe that the two centres are complementary rather than purely competitive.

A number of respondents to our questionnaire have commented that the uncertainty surrounding the possible exit of the U.K. from the EU is having a negative impact on London’s competitiveness at present.”

April 23 - 29, 2016

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TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

World News

Ecuador quake death toll over 550 and set to rise further

The researchers confirmed that large areas of South America, the focus of the current outbreak, are susceptible.

Zika virus: 2.2 billion people in ‘at risk’ areas MORE than two billion people live in parts of the world where the Zika virus can spread, detailed maps published in the journal eLife show.

The Zika virus, which is spread by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, triggered a global health emergency this year.

Last week the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that the virus causes severe birth defects.

The latest research showed mapping Zika was more complex than simply defining where the mosquito can survive.

One of the researchers, Dr Oliver Brady from the University of Oxford, told the BBC: “These are the first maps to come out that really use the data we have for Zika - earlier maps were based on Zika being like dengue or chikungunya.

“We are the first to add the very precise geographic and environmental

conditions data we have on Zika.”

By learning where Zika could thrive the researchers could then predict where else may be affected.

The researchers confirmed that large areas of South America, the focus of the current outbreak, are susceptible.

In total, 2.2 billion people live in areas defined as being “at risk”.

The infection is suspected of leading to thousands of babies being born with underdeveloped brains.

The at-risk zones in South America include long stretches of coastline as well as cities along the Amazon river and its tributaries snaking through the continent.

And in the US, Florida and Texas could sustain the infection when temperatures rise in summer.

Dr Brady added: “Mosquitoes are just one condition needed for Zika to spread but there’s a whole range of other ones.

Prague may soon be the capital of “Czechia”.

Czech Republic to be known as ‘Czechia’ THE Czech Republic wants to be known as “Czechia” to make it easier for companies and sports teams to use it on products and clothing.

The country will retain its full name but Czechia will become the official short geographic name, as “France” is to “The French Republic”.

If approved by parliament, the name will be lodged with the United Nations.

Along with Slovakia, the Czech

Republic was established when Czechoslovakia broke in two in 1993.

Some of the country’s best-known exports, including its Pilsner Urquell beer and ice hockey team, currently use the word “Czech”.

But “Czech” is an adjective and cannot properly be used as a name for the country.

Some have criticised “Czechia” as ugly, or too similar to “Chechnya”, the semi-autonomous Russian republic. (BBC)

The death toll from last weekend’s earthquake rose to 553 on Wednesday afternoon, as the government intensified relief efforts by sending truck caravans and cargo aircraft to deliver badly needed food, water, tents and bedding to shattered cities along the country’s Pacific coast.

It was unclear how many people were still missing. The attorney general said 1,700, while the Defense Ministry put the figure at 231. More than 4,500 injuries have been reported.

Although the government noted that 54 people had been pulled alive from wreckage by teams in various cities, the fatality count is expected to climb significantly.

Thousands of survivors continued to sleep in parks and outdoor arenas.

There have been more than 540 aftershocks, including two close to the epicenter -- near the coastal town of Muisne -- early Wednesday of magnitudes 6.1 and 6.3. The temblor Saturday was magnitude 7.8.

Parts of the disaster zone remained in dire need of drinking water, and the country’s bottlers have turned over their plants to the government, which has also sent six mobile water purification systems to hard-hit Manabi province.

President Obama telephoned his Ecuadorean counterpart, Rafael

Rescuers remove a corpse from the rubble in Manta, Ecuador, on Wednesday. (Juan Cevallos / AFP/Getty Images)

Correa, on Tuesday and sent a planeload of supplies. The U.S. has not had an aid office in Ecuador since 2014.

In a televised address to the nation Wednesday afternoon, Correa said Ecuador was facing its worst disaster since a 1949 quake, which destroyed much of the city of Ambato and killed 5,000.

He noted that difficulties communicating with some towns were hindering efforts to determine the full extent of the damage.

The $3-billion figure he gave Tuesday was just an estimate, and a full accounting will take six weeks, he said.

In the beach town of Canoa, 85% of buildings were destroyed, the president

said. The town, with a population of about 4,500, is popular with foreign tourists and shows up on lists of best retirement spots for U.S. seniors.

The nearby coastal town of Bahia de Caraquez “will have to be rebuilt almost entirely,” and damaged hospitals there and in the city of Chone will have be to “destroyed and rebuilt with new ones,” Correa told viewers.

“We have seen human dramas, but with our tears we will grow the future,” he said.

Relief is flowing in from all parts of Ecuador and many neighboring countries, with 4,000 doctors and 4,500 police officers sent to the disaster zone. About 42,000 troops are on call if security becomes a problem.

Fidel Castro gives rare speech saying he will soon die CUBAN revolutionary leader Fidel Castro delivered a valedictory speech Tuesday to the Communist Party that he put in power a half-century ago, telling party members he will soon die and exhorting them to help his ideas survive.

“I’ll be 90 years old soon,” Castro said in his most extensive public appearance in years. “Soon I’ll be like all the others. The time will come for all of us, but the ideas of the Cuban Communists will remain as proof on this planet that if they are worked at with fervour and dignity, they can produce the material and cultural goods that human beings need, and we need to fight without a truce to obtain them.”

Castro spoke as the government announced that his brother Raul will retain the Cuban Communist Party’s highest post alongside his hardline second-in-command. That announcement and Fidel Castro’s speech together delivered a resounding message that the island’s revolutionary generation will remain in control even as its members age and die, relations with the U.S. are normalized, and popular dissatisfaction grows over the

Fidel Castro (centre) wants Cuban Communism to continue long after his death.

country’s economic performance.

Fifty-five years after Fidel Castro declared that Cuba’s revolution was socialist and began installing a singleparty system and centrally planned economy, the Cuban government is battling a deep crisis of credibility.

With no memory of the revolution’s heady first decades, younger Cubans complain bitterly about low state salaries of about $25 a month that leave them struggling to afford food and other staple goods.

Cuba’s creaky state-run media and

cultural institutions compete with flashy foreign programming shared online and on memory drives passed hand-to-hand. Emigration to the United States and other countries has soared to one of its highest points since the revolution.

Limited openings to private enterprise have stalled, and the government describes capitalism as a threat even as it appears unable to increase productivity in Cuba’s inefficient, theft-plagued networks of state-run enterprises.

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Entertainment

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

April 23 - 29, 2016

Adele named as UK’s richest female musician ever as fortune hits £85m ADELE has been named as Britain’s richest ever female musician, according to the Sunday Times Rich List.

A list of the top 50 music millionaires in the UK and Ireland puts the singer’s £85m fortune in 30th place - an increase of £35m compared to last year.

The only female singer with a bigger fortune on the list - which also covers Ireland - is Irishwoman Enya on £91m.

For the fifth year running Adele is also ranked top of the Young Music Rich List, covering those aged 30 and under.

The 27-year-old’s fortune was boosted by the November release of 25 - her first album in four years.

The singer made her debut on the under-30s list in 2011 in ninth place, but by 2012 she had secured the top spot, a position she has held onto ever since.

Adele is now ranked at number 30 in the overall UK and Ireland music millionaires list, above Sir Cliff Richard, Gary Barlow and Kylie Minogue, and up from 43rd place last year.

She’s one of just three solo women to make it onto the 2016 list.

Earlier this year Adele made history for a solo artist when she picked up four Brit awards, winning best female solo artist, Brits global

Kelly Ripa and husband Mark Consuelos were scheduled to travel with their three children to the TCI.

Adele’s fortune soared £35m from last year.

success award, best single for Hello and British album of the year for 25.

Her album 25 has now sold over 15 million copies.

Adele declined to put the album on music streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music.

Ian Coxon, who has edited the Sunday Times Rich List for two decades, said he expected Adele’s fortune to continue to grow.

“Adele is only 27 so I would see her getting in the main list of the richest 1,000 in a couple of years - she is only £15 to £20m away now,” he said.

Former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney topped the overall Sunday Times Rich List of musicians with an

estimated £760m fortune.

Sir Paul is worth £30m more than last year, according to the ranking, boosted by his American heiress wife’s £150m stake in her family’s US trucking business.

It puts him well ahead of his nearest rival on the list, Andrew Lloyd Webber, who is estimated to be worth £715m.

The Rolling Stones - with combined fortunes of £630m, up £40m on 2015, were ranked the wealthiest band in Britain and Ireland, ahead of U2 with a joint fortune of £500m.

The full Sunday Times Rich List will be published by the newspaper on Sunday. (BBC)

Ripa and Consuelos set for TCI family vacation amid LIVE! shake-up KELLY Ripa is getting away from the daytime drama.

Just days after news broke that Michael Strahan would be leaving LIVE! With Kelly and Michael for a new position within ABC, his cohost was ready for a little vacation away from New York City.

E! News can confirm that the talkshow host was scheduled to reach Turks and Caicos Thursday morning for a getaway that is expected to last through the weekend. Husband Mark Consuelos as well as their three children were also expected on the trip.

The getaway has been planned since February and the timing couldn’t be more perfect.

Ever since news broke that

Michael would be taking on a more prominent spot on Good Morning America this September, LIVE! has become front-page news.

On Wednesday, a source revealed to E! News that Kelly did not receive a heads up about her co-host leaving the show after four years. When executives eventually broke the news after a morning taping, the blond beauty wasn’t exactly prepared.

“She was livid,” a source shared with E! News. “It wasn’t pretty.”

After being informed of the news, Kelly has yet to return to the LIVE! set for a taping. A spokesperson for the show told us that Kelly’s seat will be filled for the next few days until the beginning of Tuesday at the earliest.

George R.R. Martin hints at possible ‘Game of Thrones’ spinoff series THE sixth season of “Game of Thrones,” the hit television series based on George R.R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” books, begins Sunday, but panicked fans are already dreading the show’s eventual end.

Yet in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Martin hinted that the end might not really be the end for the HBO show.

“There is certainly no lack of material” for a possible spinoff, Martin said. “Every episode of ‘The Naked City’ ... ended with a voiceover: ‘There are 8 million stories in the naked city. This has been one of them.’ There are 8 million stories in Westeros as well ... and even more in Essos and the lands beyond. A whole world full of stories, waiting to be told ... if indeed HBO is interested.”

It’s hard to imagine that HBO wouldn’t be interested. The show has become a huge hit for the network, averaging nearly 7 million viewers per episode. It’s also racked up 26 Emmy awards, including a win for drama series last year.

Martin even has an idea for a spinoff: “The most natural follow-up

Lindsay Lohan recently confirmed that she is studying Islam.

Lohan might convert to Islam George R.R. Martin hints that fans might not need to fear the end of “Game of Thrones.” (Matt Sayles / Associated Press)

would be an adaptation of my ‘Dunk & Egg’ stories,” he said, referring to his three novellas that take place in the same world of “A Song of Ice and Fire,” but are set about a century earlier.

“Each of the novellas could easily be done as a two-hour standalone movie for television; that would probably be the ideal way to

do them, rather than as an ongoing weekly series,” Martin said, noting that the stories are much “lighter” in tone than “Game of Thrones.”

Any spinoff series would likely come after “Game of Thrones” completes its run. The show’s sixth season begins on April 24; it’s expected that two more seasons will follow, possibly with fewer episodes.

ACTRESS Lindsay Lohan could be changing the script on her religion.

The Catholic-born star is now studying Islam, she tells British tabloid The Sun. “I’m a very spiritual person and I’m really open to learning,” she said.

The 29-year-old Lohan sparked speculation she was practicing Islam last summer when she was photographed holding the Koran

while doing community service in New York.

It’s currently unclear if Lohan plans to convert to the religion entirely, but either way she says all faiths have something in common.

“We all believe in something and at the end of the day it all ties to a god or a spiritual adviser,” she told the newspaper.

“We all have a similar belief in whatever it may be personally.”

April 23 - 29, 2016

Entertainment

23

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

Winfrey’s megachurch series ‘Greenleaf’ ‘takes faith really seriously’ FIVE years after signing off from daytime television, Oprah Winfrey is returning to the small screen in “Greenleaf,” a scripted drama about an affluent African American family that presides over a Tennessee megachurch.

The premiere episode, which screened Tuesday at the Tribeca Film Festival, follows Grace Greenleaf (Merle Dandridge), prodigal daughter of Bishop James Greenleaf (Keith David), the leader of Greenleaf World Ministries, and his regal wife, Lady Mae (Lynn Whitfield). When Grace returns home for the funeral of her sister, who has died under mysterious circumstances, she stirs up long-simmering tensions within the family.

In her first series role, Winfrey plays Grace’s unconventional Aunt Mavis, the black sheep of the family who has incriminating information about one of the church’s most prominent members and encourages Grace, a reporter, to investigate.

“Being able to do this

series is a dream come true,” Winfrey said in a Q&A session after the screening of the first episode, which was met with an enthusiastic response from the audience.

She credited Tyler Perry, creator of hits like “The Haves and the Have Nots,” with helping turn around the oncestruggling Oprah Winfrey Network and allowing her realize her “dream of being able to do this kind of scripted television.”

Five years after signing off from daytime television, Oprah Winfrey is returning to the small screen in “Greenleaf,” a scripted drama about an affluent African American family that presides over a Tennessee megachurch.

The premiere episode, which screened Tuesday at the Tribeca Film Festival, follows Grace Greenleaf (Merle Dandridge), prodigal daughter of Bishop James Greenleaf (Keith David), the leader of Greenleaf World Ministries, and his regal wife, Lady Mae

(Lynn Whitfield). When Grace returns home for the funeral of her sister, who has died under mysterious circumstances, she stirs up long-simmering tensions within the family.

In her first series role, Winfrey plays Grace’s unconventional Aunt Mavis, the black sheep of the family who has incriminating information about one of the church’s most prominent members and encourages Grace, a reporter, to investigate.

“Being able to do this series is a dream come true,” Winfrey said in a Q&A session after the screening of the first episode, which was met with an enthusiastic response from the audience.

She credited Tyler Perry, creator of hits like “The Haves and the Have Nots,” with helping turn around the oncestruggling Oprah Winfrey Network and allowing her realize her “dream of being able to do this kind of scripted television.”

“When you try to depict

Oprah Winfrey attends a screening of the first episode of “Greenleaf” at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City. (Ben Gabbe / Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival)

religion in the white church, it inevitably degenerates either into satire or sanctimony,” Wright said. Although the show is critical of the church -- the pilot hints at corruption within the Greenleaf empire -it “takes faith really seriously,” he said. “It doesn’t seem silly, it doesn’t seem laughable

or foolish, it actually seems deeply grounded and important and integral to the lives of the characters, so you actually take their struggles seriously.”

The writer added that he was thankful for the opportunity “to dramatise religion in a way that doesn’t devalue it.”

Another key theme for

Wright, who also created the ABC series “Dirty Sexy Money,” is greed. “I’ve been pretty much saying the same thing over and over again on television, which is: Money is dangerous and you should live for the heart and the soul, and I just think it’s a message that needs to be said all the time.”

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Entertainment

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

April 23 - 29, 2016

Legendary pro wrestler and entertainer, Chyna, dies JOANIE Laurer, who overcame a troubled home life in Rochester, N.Y., to win an international following as the pro wrestler Chyna, has died at age 45, according to her official website and World Wrestling Entertainment.

Police found her body at her home in Redondo Beach, Calif., Wednesday, according to local media.

With chiselled muscles and a nearly 6-foot frame, Laurer cut an imposing figure in the ring. With a natural flair for entertainment, she exploded onto the scene of professional wrestling during the sport’s ascendance in the late 1990s.

Armed with training by the wrestler Killer Kowalski, she won Rookie of the Year honours in the PGWA (the

Professional Girl Wrestling Association) in 1996. She then jumped to the bigger stage of the World Wrestling Federation (now the WWE), where she broke onto the scene as the bodyguard of male wrestler Triple H. Laurer then broke into the ring, competing with — and defeating — top male wrestlers. She became the only woman to qualify for prestigious tournaments such the Royal Rumble and King of the Ring, as well as the Intercontinental Championship.

She also appeared in films and on magazine covers — as well as TV shows from 3rd Rock from the Sun (2000) to The Surreal Life (2003) and VH1’s Celebrity Rehab with

Dr. Drew (2008). In some of those appearances, Laurer discussed the depression and other personal demons that had threatened to derail her career.

“She was truly a pioneer in our industry, and she will be missed,” WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon said this morning via a tweet.

According to local TV news station KTLA, police were called to Laurer’s apartment in Redondo Beach Wednesday afternoon, after a friend who had become worried about Laurer checked on her and found that she wasn’t breathing.

No cause of death has been given; KTLA says the Los Angeles County Coroner is investigating the case. (NPR)

Chyna exploded onto the scene of professional wrestling during the sport’s ascendance in the late 1990s.

April 23 - 29, 2016

Entertainment

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

The Queen cuts her birthday cake, while baker Nadiya Hussain looks on.

Bake Off winner Hussain makes multilayered orange drizzle cake for the Queen THE Queen celebrated her birthday on Thursday with a cake made by Great British Bake Off champion Nadiya Hussain.

The multi-layered orange drizzle cake was presented to and cut by Her Majesty as part of her 90th Birthday celebrations.

Hussain was nervous leading up to the big day.

In a clip on The One Show on Wednesday night she

admitted her anxiety: “I’m officially super nervous. It’s such an honour to be doing this. I don’t want to disappoint the Queen.”

The master baker had been tweeting her excitement as she got ready for the birthday.

Nadiya, who won the latest series of GBBO, was contacted by the Palace a couple of weeks ago and asked to take on the challenge.

On last night’s The One

Show she said: “My initial reaction was it must be a mistake or some kind of prank.”

“I told my husband and he said I had to do it. How could I say no?”

“When I told my daughter I was nervous, she said: ‘But mummy, you’ve made lots of cake for Mary Berry.’ Then it dawned on me – she thinks Mary Berry is the Queen!”

(Radiotimes)

Idris Elba is excited about the mini-series.

Elba to star in black activism mini-series from American Crime creator IDRIS Elba is heading to Showtime for Guerrilla. Oscarwinner John Ridley will write, direct, and executive produce the six-episode limited series, which will also air on pay-TV network Sky Atlantic in the U.K. The plot centres on a couple who “liberate a political prisoner and form a radical underground cell in 1970s London,” Showtime said Wednesday. While going after

the Black Power Desk — a real-life counter-intelligence unit that targets black activism — the couple finds their highstakes moves revealing the strengths and weaknesses of their relationship.

“It’s been a long time desire of mine to collaborate with Mr. Ridley, and his work here is nothing short of a masterclass in character building and story-telling,” said Elba. “TV is in for a treat.”

Added Ridley, who is set to write most of the scripts and direct the first two episodes: “I am both humbled by and impressed with Idris’ passion toward bringing this story to life. I share his commitment for populating the culture with driven and complicated people of color, and believe we have great partners on the producorial level, and with our broadcasters Sky Atlantic and Showtime.”

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TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

April 23 - 29, 2016

April 23 - 29, 2016

Entertainment

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TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

Everybody Loves Raymond star dies at 90

Jennifer Aniston also won the award in 2004.

Aniston named ‘World’s Most Beautiful Woman’ by People At 47, Jennifer Aniston is appreciative of how she is aging.

So is People magazine. It has named the actress the “World’s Most Beautiful Woman” for 2016.

Aniston declared herself “very, very flattered” by the honour. She counts women such as Gloria Steinem, Lauren Hutton and Brigitte Bardot as her beauty icons.

She told People she feels her most beautiful after a workout.

“It’s funny, it’s a really quick transition from not a care and now all of a sudden, we’ve got to really be mindful of what we put inside our bodies,” she said. “And how we sleep and take care of ourselves.

You can get away with a lot in your 20s.”

It’s the second such cover for Aniston who also received the accolade in 2004. Last year’s winner was Sandra Bullock. (CNN)

DORIS Roberts, who was best known for playing meddling mother Marie Barone in US sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond, has died aged 90.

A family spokeswoman said the actress died in Los Angeles overnight on Sunday in her sleep. She added Roberts had been healthy and active.

The actress won four Emmys for her role in Raymond, which ran from 1996 - 2005.

Her on-screen son Ray Romano paid tribute saying she “had an energy and a spirit that amazed me”.

“She never stopped,” he told Entertainment Tonight. “Whether working professionally or with her many charities, or just nurturing and mentoring a green young comic trying to make it as an actor, she did everything with such a grand love for life and people and I will miss her dearly.”

Patricia Heaton, who played Marie’s daughter-in-law Debra, said it was “truly the end of an era”.

“My wonderful TV motherin-law and (Everbody Loves Raymond) nemesis Doris Roberts was a consummate professional from whom I learned so much,” she said.

“She was funny and tough and loved life, living it to the fullest. It was truly a privilege.”

Brad Garrett, Roberts’ other onscreen son, added he was “deeply saddened” and paid tribute to “an amazing lady and brilliant actor”.

“Doris was vibrant and full of

Ray Romano paid tribute to the actress, saying she had ‘a spirit that amazed me’.

life both on and off the stage, and I am so grateful we shared so many wonderful memories. I will miss her greatly and will always remember her incredible kindness, humour, talent and heart.”

Spokeswoman Janet Daily confirmed Roberts had died overnight in her sleep. She was told of the death by Roberts’ son, Michael Cannata.

Doris Roberts was born on 4 November 1925 in St. Louis, and grew up in New York.

She won five Emmy Awards over the course of her career, four of which were for her work on the television series Everybody Loves

Raymond.

Writing on Twitter, the creator of Everybody Loves Raymond, Phil Rosenthal, called her “a wonderful, funny, indelible actress and friend”.

CBS said in a statement that Roberts “will be remembered for lighting up every room she walked into with an unparalleled combination of energy, humour, warmth and even a little bit of grit.”

She was awarded her first Emmy in 1983, for her supporting role on the series St. Elsewhere.

The actress was also known for her role in the 1980s TV detective series Remington Steele. (BBC)

Superstar Prince dies at Minnesota home THE hugely popular and acclaimed musician Prince has died at his home in Minnesota at the age of 57, his publicist has said.

Police were called to a medical emergency at his Paisley Park estate earlier on Thursday, US media reported. An investigation is underway.

Prince became a global superstar in the 1980s, with albums such as 1999, Purple Rain and Sign O’ the Times.

He sold more than 100 million records during his career.

A singer, songwriter, arranger and multi-instrumentalist, Prince recorded more than 30 albums. His best known hits include Let’s Go Crazy and When Doves Cry. In 2004, Prince was inducted into the Rock and Roll of Fame with the Hall saying he “rewrote the rulebook”.

Last week he was rushed to hospital hours after performing on stage, but was soon released.

Tributes have been pouring in on social media and fans have been gathering at Paisley Park.

A musical prodigy from a broken home, Prince famously wrote, arranged, produced and played almost all of his hit records.

But the Purple man’s purple patch really came with his first band The Revolution.

With them by his side, he wrote more than two dozen rock classics in a five-year flurry.

Purple Rain, Little Red Corvette, 1999, Raspberry Beret, When Doves Cry, Kiss... At the same time, he dashed off Manic Monday for The Bangles and Nothing Compares 2U, made famous by Sinead O’Connor.

In the studio, he was unstoppable.

But the magic really happened on stage. He would vamp, preen and tease and audience into a frenzy, then slay them with a quiet moment of crystalline beauty. He was a joy to watch. (BBC)

Prince was still performing as recently as last week.

28

JOB LISTINGS SERVICES AUTO SALES REAL ESTATE

Classifieds TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

April 23 - 29, 2016

946-4664 Fax: 946-4661

Email: tcnews@tciway.tc

Website: tcweeklynews.com

FLOWER GIRL

WANTED URGENTLY

FLORAL DESIGNER

Must have thorough knowledge in the floral business with 3-5 years experience.

Call: 231-3788

FOR SALE

Construction scaffold and roof tiles for sale CONTACT: 431-1591 OR 231-3788

CLASSIFIEDS 29

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

KAY STUBBS Is looking for a

DOMESTIC WORKER Salary $800.00 per month

CONTACT 232-7827

VENDOR’S ASSISTANT WANTED Treasures S & S Gift Shop is looking for a Assistant to work in shop and/or booth. Work 3 days per week. Salary: $5.50 per hour.

CONTACT 231-1162

11363

NOTICE OF SALE BY PUBLIC AUCTION Scotiabank (Turks & Caicos) Ltd. of Cherokee Road, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands hereby gives notice of its intention to sell by Public Auction the following properties pursuant to its power of sale as registered Chargee under the Registered Land Ordinance of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

1. Parcel 60715/102 Cheshire Hall & Richmond Hill, Providenciales. Single storey with three bedrooms, one bathroom, living/dining room and kitchen on 0.54 acre.

Registered Proprietor: Livingston Williams 2. Parcel 60503/145 Blue Hills and Stamers Run, Providenciales. Single storey with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, kitchen, living/dining area and storage area with an unfinished attached two storey with 2-two bedroom apartments on 0.38 acre.

Registered Proprietor: Sharon Elizabeth Rigby The auction will be held at the office of Scotiabank (Turks and Caicos) Limited, Grace Bay Branch, Providenciales at 10 o’clock in the morning on Friday the 29th day of April 2016.

A reserved price will be fixed on all parcels and a deposit of 10% is due immediately upon all accepted bids.

CASHWIZ VACANCIES FOR

SALES REPRESENTATIVES ARE YOU THE ONE WHO CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE? We are looking for a professional, competitive, self-motivated sales representatives to join our multinational CashWiz team. We currently operate in 10 Caribbean Islands with three stores in Turks and Caicos.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:

· Wait on customers in a courteous and professional manner · Assist all customers in consignment items and sales · Assist in the monthly inventory count and merchandising of the store · Daily monitoring of precious metal evaluation/must be able to demonstrate the ability to differentiate metal types and purity at reasonable level · Product Pricing and evaluation of precious metals, gems, electronics, games, cars, etc. · Required to work on weekends and some holidays.

SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS:

· At least 1-2 years hands on working experience in Retail Operations · Completed high school education with at least five passes at CXC. Must have grade I or II in English and Mathematics · Computer literate and be able to master consignment software system; · Must be able to travel overseas on short notice for training sessions as required. · Must provide 3 written job references and recent police clearance

COMPENSATION:

Competitive base salary starting at US$1,500 monthly plus a high-income earning potential based on our weekly performance based bonus scheme.

BENEFITS:

Benefits as per Labour Law

HOW TO APPLY:

Send cover letter and resume to: rvieira@cashwiz.com by May 20, 2016.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted

11361

ARIZA POOL SERVICES Is looking for a

LABOURER

NEEDED LABOURER To work 6 days

To work around yard, washing vehicles and vehicle maintenance. To work 5 days per week including weekends and holidays.

Salary is commensurate with experience.

CONTACT TELEPHONE: 946-5300

per week salary $6.25 per hour.

CONTACT: 242-2434

VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY!!

THE LARGEST READERSHIP IN THE TURKS & CAICOS

TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS FINANCIAL SERVICES COMMISSION The Financial Services Commission, the statutory body of the Turks and Caicos Islands’ Government with responsibility for the regulation of financial services businesses, is seeking qualified applicants for the post of:

HEAD OF INSURANCE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The holder of this office has operational responsibility for the management of the Insurance Department, which is responsible for the licensing and regulation of insurance companies and intermediaries in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The Department has as its primary focus the stability, safety, integrity and efficiency of the insurance sector.

The successful applicant will be required to lead a rigorous onsite and offsite supervision regime and to advise on an appropriate legislative and regulatory framework for insurance supervision in the islands. The office holder will also be expected to travel internationally to represent the Commission and the jurisdiction, and to speak on financial services regulation in the islands.

SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED

The successful applicant should possess a sound knowledge of financial services principles, with an emphasis on Insurance Law and Regulations, Insurance Core Principles and the requirements of standards setting bodies, such as, OGIS, IAIS and CAIR. The applicant should have experience working with international insurance products and services, and be familiar with current and emerging trends in the regulation of domestic and international insurance markets.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

A Masters’ Degree in Finance, Business Administration, Accounting or a related discipline from a recognised university or equivalent professional qualification in insurance, such as ACII. At least eight years related experience, especially in a well-recognised international financial centre, of which at least four must be in a managerial position in a regulatory capacity.

OTHER APPLICABLE INFORMATION

Salary will be commensurate with experience and qualifications, and will be based on the Commission’s salary scale.

The duties for the post may be carried out in Grand Turk and/or Providenciales.

Applications should be emailed to dmorrison@tcifsc.tc no later than May 31, 2016. The response must state clearly “Application for Head of Insurance”.

11355

April 23 - 29, 2016

30 CLASSIFIEDS

SERGIO CARRASCO

THE TUSCANY RESORT Is looking for a

LABOURER WANTED

NORIS BAR & RESTAURANT

LEW 1 SHIPPING

LABOURER LABOURER FISHERMAN To work 6 days To work 6 days Is looking for a

Salary $7.00 per hour

per week salary $6.25 per hour.

CONTACT: 231-0327

CONTACT: 243-4905

COLMELITA HANDFIELD

KELCI TALBOT

Seeks the following persons:

11337

CONTACT: 344-7971

per week salary $6.25 per hour.

11342

11339

CONTACT: 941-4667

Is looking for a

11341

per week salary $7.00 per hour

To work 6 days per week salary $6.25 per hour.

Send resume to

Email info@misickstanbrook.tc

HORIANNA WIGNAL

Seeks the following person:

LABOURER

To work five days per week

1 ToDOMESTIC WORKER work four days per week

To work five days per week, must live on North Caicos

1 WELDER

Basic Salary

11345

BASIC SALARY

CONTACT: 946-7705

11344

Must have 10 years welding experience

Is looking for a

LABOURER To work 5 days

DOMESTIC WORKER

CONTACT: 332-3022

CONTACT: 343-3430

per week salary $6.25 per hour.

To work 6 days per week salary $6.25 per hour.

SUN OIL LIMITED

VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY!!

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

THE LARGEST READERSHIP IN THE TURKS & CAICOS

CASABLANCA CASINO

WAITRESS

Sun Oil Limited seeks to identify:

PROFESSIONAL TRACTOR TRAILER DRIVERS Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands

The successful candidate(s) will assume the role of Driver/Operator. This position is responsible for the daily execution of key responsibilities within a bulk fuel facility. These responsibilities include the safe receipt, storage and delivery of bulk petroleum products in accordance with strict industry and company standards. Successful candidates must be able to demonstrate a proven track record of safe driving. Successful experience in the petroleum industry would be a plus.

Salary $8.00 per hour tip included Energetic, team player with excellent customer service skills Full time only!

2 – 5 years experience required

Core Responsibilities • Daily inspection of assigned truck(s) and associated equipment.

• Safe truck loading and delivery of petroleum products throughout the island.

• Provide exceptional customer service at all times.

• Adhere to company driving policies • General fuel handling operations associated with the receipt, storage andre­distribution of petroleum products.

BAR MANAGER • Salary $12.50 per hour tip included • Must have at least 2-5 years experience in the same field • Energetic, great communication skills, a leader with great responsibilities, understanding of job and business interest.

CASINO NIGHT AUDITOR

11346

• Salary $17.00 per hour • Must have at least 7-10 years experience as a casino night auditor in the same field • All table games knowledge, excellent computer program skills ALL CANDIDATES MUST BE WILLIGN TO WORK NIGHT SHIFTS ON WEEKENDS AND ON PUBLIC HOLIDAYS RESUMES MUST BE DROPPED OFF AT CASABLANCA CASINO ADDRESSED TO HR AND THE POSITION YOU ARE APPLYING FOR

Is looking for a

11348

1 LABOURER

• • • •

ROBINSON’S CONSTRUCTION Is looking for a

TECHNICIAN To work 6 days

CONTACT: 941-5707

April 23 - 29, 2016

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

Job Requirements • 3 years minimum work experience in a similar capacity.

• A strong safety record. Safety related trainings would be a plus.

• Defensive driving training would be a strong plus.

• A mechanical aptitude with some experience with equipment maintenance and repairs.

• Strong leadership skills with the ability to work as an effective team member.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

• The ability to work flexible hours and weekends.

Benefits include: Competitive salary and benefits package, commensurate with work· experience and qualifications.

Interested persons should apply no later than 25th, April, 2016 to: jrobinson@sunoilbahamas.com or drop resumes at the Sun Oil Depot South Dock

11356

April 23 - 29, 2016

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

Provo Water Company Press Release WATER SYSTEMS & INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES PROVIDENCIALES, TURKS AND CAICOS, APRIL 2016:

Provo Water Company is in the process of replacing all commercial meters, district bulk meters, and residential meters. The meter replacement is part of an island-wide infrastructure upgrade that is expected to be completed by Summer 2016. There will be a short service disruption of only few minutes to residential connections as the meter is swapped out. We apologize for the temporary inconvenience but assure you that the upgrades will result in improved services at no additional cost to our customers.

PLEASE CONTACT US ON 649-339-9282 FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. ###

“For questions regarding your account please call Customer Service Department on 649-339-9282 or email at customerservice@provowater.tc “

BUSINESS ADVISOR REQUIRED ORGANIZATIONAL DESCRIPTION

The CED is a non-profit organization which supports potential and existing entrepreneurs with business consulting in a variety of business start-up and management topics, as well as the provision of targeted training programs.

BUSINESS ADVISOR JOB DESCRIPTION

Reports directly to the CED Director, the Business Advisor works directly with start-up and existing entrepreneurs to diagnose business health, provide guidance on business operations, provides confidential, one-on-one counselling and coaching in all areas of business, including market feasibility, business planning, financing, marketing, peer to peer mentoring and human resource development. The Business Advisor will also assist in implementing the TCI Governments Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Program.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

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5.

VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY!!

THE LARGEST READERSHIP IN THE TURKS & CAICOS

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The Meridian Club on Pine Cay is currently seeking qualified candidates to join our Maintenance Team on our private island. The maintenance department is responsible for our 13 room hotel, 37 private homes and all maintenance around the island. Boat transportation is provided from either Provo or North Caicos or accommodations provided during the work week. We are in the hospitality industry which requires our staff to be available to work weekends and holidays as needed.

MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

• • • •

• •

Literate (verbal and written in English).

Computer literate. Knowledge of Quick Books a plus.

Basic knowledge of tools.

Good eye-hand coordination Skills/Abilities: Ability to assist mechanic in the performance of his duties.

Ability to perform office work as needed by Maintenance Supervisor which includes Inventory Control.

• Ability to read, write and comprehend work orders and use a maintenance program.

• Able to perform basic maintenance tasks This position will assist with daily maintenance office procedures including inventory control, reporting hours worked on various jobs, etc. Must also be a hands-on member of our maintenance team.

Salary dependent on experience, training, work record and capability.

Qualified candidates should send their resumes to Debbie Keller, Island Manager Email: manager@meridianclub.com or fax to 941-7010 All qualified applicants will be interviewed.

11346

CLASSIFIEDS 31

Provides business counselling at the CED office or at the site of the MSME business.

Provides technical assistance to MSME clients in research and development of business plans, marketing plans, loan proposals and related business development requirements.

Provides advice and assistance in the establishment and maintenance of business and financial records, in compliance with relevant regulations, guidelines and standards.

Liaise with Invest TCI staff and other relevant parties on matters to meet the objectives of the TCI Government MSME Program.

Utilizes Centre data base to document client activity in an accurate, timely and comprehensive manner, and utilizes the data base software to manage business caseload and produce reports.

Develops, promotes, coordinates and delivers business management training programs in a variety of topics.

Collaborates with public and private sector stakeholders to achieve the objectives of the CED. Participates, as assigned to promote local business and economic development within various sectors.

Communicates with the business owners in a professional, patient, ethical and sincere way.

Stays aware of global and national market trends and the changing needs of MSME sector.

Encourages businesses to utilize the various programs offered by the CED. Assist in the continued development of CED’s strategic plan.

Refers clients to other resources and professionals when necessary.

Travels throughout the islands to deliver services to MSMEs, as well as occasionally work evenings.

Performs other job related duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS AND ABILITIES

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Highly customer service oriented.

Strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work effectively with small business owners in a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community.

Ability to develop business plans, marketing plans, financial strategies and business loan proposals.

Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.

Knowledge of the 2015 Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Ordinance and related Regulations.

Knowledge of sound, practical business practices of MSME operations.

Ability to gather data, compile information and prepare reports.

Knowledge of banker expectations of the small business owner.

Knowledge of basic business accounting and software such as QuickBooks.

Skill in the use of Microsoft Office and related applications.

Skill in dealing with business owners and their staff.

Skills in assessing business training needs, whether the assessment methods are formal or informal.

Ability to develop and deliver educational programs and/or workshops.

Skills in relating to the business owner and adult learner.

Ability to analyse situations or market needs, and communicate these effectively.

MINIMUM JOB REQUIREMENTS

1. Completed Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration or Entrepreneurship from an 2.

3.

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5.

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accredited institution.

Minimum of one year’s experience related to the essential functions specified.

Past or current business ownership/management experience .

Experience in counselling and/or advising small businesses .

Small business finance/banking experience is preferred.

Holder of a valid driver’s license.

Salary: $45,600 to $48,000 per annum based on qualifications and experience,

To Apply: Submit applications before April 15, 2016 to: Chairman, CED Board of Directors, Unit B203, Graceway House, Leeward Highway, Providenciales, Email: cedtci@gmail.com, Phone: 231-1233

KITCHEN HELPER QUALIFICATIONS: • At least 10 years experience in the restaurant industry • Ability to work on line and prep all types of food • Ideal applicants will have experience in high pressure situations, with the ability to work independently, and as part of a team • All applicants must be willing to work 7 days per week including weekends and holidays Salary $6.25 per hour

Please send detailed resume and cover letter to bistroshannon@yahoo.com Only applicants that send a resume will be considered

HOLIDAY VILLAGE

CARDINAL ARTHUR

Is looking for the following:

Is looking for a

LABOURER To work 6 days per week salary $6.25 per hour.

CONTACT: 241-0730

VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY!!

THE LARGEST READERSHIP IN THE TURKS & CAICOS

PUBLIC NOTICE TCI FERRY TICKETS FOR NHIP CLIENTS REFERRED FOR MEDICAL CARE The National Health Insurance Plan wishes to advise the general public that effective May 1st 2016, TCI Ferry tickets will be provided for eligible clients traveling between North Caicos and Providenciales who are referred to the Cheshire Hall Medical Centre for medical services. Tickets will be distributed at the Primary Healthcare Clinics in Middle Caicos, Bottle Creek and Kew, North Caicos.

In order to access tickets for medical travel clients should present: 1. A valid NHIP card along with their appointment card from TCI Hospitals or a valid emergency referral.

2. Present to the nurse at the clinic at least 5 working days prior to their Hospital appointment.

After presenting to the clinic nurse, the clients’ eligibility will be verified and once eligible a return ticket will be issued. A ticket will also be provided for escorts where the beneficiary meets the criteria for an escort Criteria for an Escort: • Children under 18 years of age • Clients who are mentally or physically incapacitated and are unable to function independently.

Tickets should be used for medical travel only.

Client who receive tickets which are used for travel other than for medical reasons will be required to return the tickets issued or refund the cost of the ticket within 7 working days of a notice provided by the NHIP. They may also be barred from receiving this benefit in the future.

The NHIP will discontinue reimbursement of tickets purchased by individual clients for medical travel after May 31, 2016.

For any additional queries or concerns please contact:

Ms. Romaine Missick, Provider Services Manager at rmissick@ tcinhip.tc or Telephone: 941 8861 / 941 3260.

The National Health Insurance Plan thanks you for your continued support.

NEWS REPORTER The Weekly News is in need of a reporter. Applicant should have a good background in English and must be a clear and competent writer. Previous experience on a newspaper, magazine or broadcasting operation is essential. Ability to type well and use a camera a must. Successful person will be required to cover parliament the community, politics and the courts.

Send application to the Publisher, Turks & Caicos News Co. Ltd., P.O. Box 52, Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands. Or email: tcweeklynews@gmail. com. Sorry, no phone calls.

VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY!!

THE LARGEST READERSHIP IN THE TURKS & CAICOS

STEWARD DOMESTIC WORKERS LABOURERS Salary $6.25 per hour

CONTACT: 946-5500

11767

Established high volume restaurant requires

April 23 - 29, 2016

EAGLE LAND DEVELOPMENT Is looking for a

LABOURER To work 5 days per week salary $6.25 per hour.

CONTACT: 241-6330

11377

SHARKBITE BAR & GRILL

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

11358

32 CLASSIFIEDS

THE LAW FIRM OF STANFIELD GREENE Is seeking one (1) suitably qualified

Attorney

The successful candidate will be responsible for the firm’s litigation department.

Applicants should have at least 15 years litigation experience at both the original and appellate levels.

The position will attract a base salary between US$90,000 and $110,000.00 annually.

Applicants should apply by sending their resume or CV to: STANFIELD GREENE PO Box 481 Graceway House Building A, Suite 201 Leeward Highway Providenciales Turks and Caicos Islands ATTENTION: Dorothea Malcolm Tel: (649)-941-3101 Fax: 941-3102 Email: dorothea@stanfieldgreene.com Turks & Caicos Islanders only need apply and are asked to supply copies of their application to the Work Permit Board.

Only those Applicants that will be interviewed will be contacted.

The position is currently being held by a work permit holder.

11371

CLASSIFIEDS 33

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS DANIEL CALCANO

Is acting on behalf of its clients to fill the following positions:

is looking for a

To work 6 days per week salary $1,800 per month.

CONTACT: 941-5341 11360

Is looking for a

SALON HELPER/ DOMESTIC WORKER Must be willing to work 6 days per week salary $6.25 per hour.

CONTACT: 342-7335 OR 241-5325

11372

MECHANIC To work 6 days per week salary $10.00 per hour

CONTACT: 241-5000

MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR

LABOURERS, MASON

PASTOR

$6.25 per hour.

For Creole Ministry salary negotiable

CONTACT: 241-7734

CONTACT: 241-6330

LABOURERS/GARDENER $6.25 per hour MECHANIC $8.00 per hour WASHER $6.25 per hour WAITRESS/ KITCHEN HELPER $6.25 per hour DOMESTIC WORKER $6.25 per hour MASON/ CARPENTER $8.00 per hour CASHIER $6.25 per hour PASTOR $400 - $500 monthly Email:darling86@hotmail.com

11347

Premier Contracting Services

Applicant must have at least 5 years experience in commercial installations and maintenance of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Systems.

Premier Contracting Services is seeking suitably qualified applicants to fill the following positions:

VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY!!

ELECTRICAL MAINTENANCE ENGINEER As the electrical maintenance engineer you will be responsible to provide proactive support to all plant and equipment required to ensure all systems run at optimum capacity. Complete planned and reactive maintenance to ensure safety and reliability of equipment 24/7. Provide detailed reports for all works completed and ongoing to operations manager. Excellent communication skills are a requirement. Those with vocational college electrician’s diploma will only be considered.

THE LARGEST READERSHIP IN THE TURKS & CAICOS

Experience in the following areas is required for this position; • Assemble, install, test, and maintain electrical or electronic wiring, equipment, appliances, apparatus, and fixtures.

• Diagnose malfunctioning systems, apparatus, and components, using test equipment and hand tools, to locate the cause of a breakdown and correct the problem.

• Connect wires to circuit breakers, transformers, or other components.

• Inspect all forms of electrical systems, equipment, and components to identify hazards, defects, and the need for adjustment or repair, and to ensure compliance with codes.

• Advise management on whether continued operation of equipment could be hazardous.

• Test electrical systems and continuity of circuits in electrical wiring, equipment, and fixtures, using testing devices such as ohmmeters, voltmeters, and megger tester, to ensure compatibility, reliability, efficiency and safety of system.

• Working knowledge of complex refrigeration systems and electrical components, with ability to diagnose and resolve issues.

• Repair and maintain multiple computer controlled gen set and switch gear equipment.

• Experience with computerized Danfoss control systems for facility electrical and refrigeration controls • Working knowledge of electronic lpg kitchen equipment.

ACTIVITY SALES COORDINATOR AND FRONT RECEPTION Looking for 3 energetic and outgoing activity sales person to work in a fun and thriving Eco Tourism Adventure Company. There are 3 positions available in separate locations of Leeward, Club Med and Parrot Cay. The applicant must have a minimum of 4-years of experience with sales & reservations in the tourism industry and have superior PR, computer, finance, phone etiquette and organizational skills. Preference will be given to anyone with additional languages.

Club Med applicants must speak fluent French. Parrot Cay applicants will also need exceptional skills in coordinating activities, communication, planning and follow through with guests and staff.

All applicants must be presentable, articulate, and be able to work long and flexible hours under pressure. Weekends and evenings are mandatory. Wages/Salary relevant with experience.

Please drop resume and cover letter to Big Blue at the Leeward Marina between the hours of 8am to 5pm or e-mail to leeward@ bigblueunlimited.com. You will be contacted for an interview if required and the deadline for applications is April 30, 2016.

J&W CONSTRUCTION

Is looking for a

On behalf of our clients Discount Auto Parts, Discount Car Rentals, Spotless Car Wash, Chicken Shack, Road Side Quality, Pat Construction, Beatrice G. Harvey is looking to fill the following positions:

THE LARGEST READERSHIP IN THE TURKS & CAICOS

Requires a

PLEASE SEND RESUME TO GBEEN@TCIWAY.TC

LABOURER $6.25 per hour.

RPJ COMPANY LTD.

VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY!!

MEPCO INTERNATIONAL TCI

11364

TWELAN SWANN

THE CONFERENCE OF LIGHTHOUSE CHURCH

PRICE CLUB/JSMS

11357

RESTAURANT CAPTAIN

THE HELP DESK

11370

TIKI HUT

Is looking for a

11376

April 23 - 29, 2016

Salary $24,000 US to $29,000 US per annum dependent on experience. Staff accommodation option is available. If staff accommodation is not accepted no compensation will be provided. A bonus of up to 10% is achievable dependent on manager’s review Deadline for submission of application is May 13th, 2016

Please submit applications with references and relative experience to: Ms. Edith Cox Suite 200 ‘Graceway IGA Main Office Complex Leeward Highway or by emailing to maintenancedept@khcapital.com | hr@gracewayiga.com Please Note: Only short-listed applicants will be contacted to attend interviews 11352

34

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

Entertainment

Is seeking suitably qualified applicants to fill the following positions:

MAINTENANCE LABOURER REQUIRED Premier Contracting Services is seeking to recruit a landscape laborer to join our team. The successful candidate must have the following experience and skill set; • Working knowledge of basic skills to include, landscaping, and irrigation repair.

• Experience in painting and basic job preparation through completion • Basic knowledge of welding systems and fabrication • Septic system repairs and maintenance • Assist Light bulb replacement and limited knowledge of electrical systems and wiring • Assist with adhock duties to include for heavy lifting, cleaning and carpentry • Assist with cleaning large scale refrigeration systems.

• Must be willing to work nights, holidays and weekends as required.

Hourly wage $8.50 per hour to $9.25 per hour dependant on experience.

There are no other benefits provided.

11380

SOUS CHEF We are seeking a skilled Sous Chef who can provide excellent International culinary skills, strong management and training skills and effective communication skills. The position involves working in the resort’s two restaurants, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The successful candidate will be a Sous chef who can bring variety, style and a high level of professionalism in order to achieve the highest possible culinary standards- an all- around of many cuisines with a background in International boutique properties.

In addition to formal professional qualifications, the successful candidate will have at least three years experience in luxury resorts or award winning restaurants.

Experience in matching food and wine would be great asset.

Salary commensurate with qualifications and experience plus service charge and tips.

COOK Point Grace is currently seeking a Cook for our food and beverage operations.

Applicants wishing to apply for the Cook position must have at least 2 years previous experience in a full service restaurant and be willing to work days, nights, and weekends.

Salary commensurate with qualifications and experience, plus service charge and tips.

MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN Is seeking a well-qualified candidate for the position of Maintenance Technician. We require an all-round Maintenance Technician with experience in plumbing and electrical repairs, painting, pool maintenance, tool and equipment maintenance, Klargester sewage systems, woodwork and general labour.

Candidate must be prepared to work weekends and holidays, and be on-call evenings. .Salary commensurate with qualifications and experience, plus service charge and tips.

Belongers only need apply Please apply in writing to: Human Resources, Point Grace, PO Box 700, Grace Bay, Providenciales, or Email: humanresources@pointgrace.com or Fax: 946-5097. No phone calls.

11369

Clooney on marriage to wife Amal: ‘I’ve never been happier in a relationship’ THE honeymoon isn’t over yet for George Clooney.

The actor opened up about his marital bliss to wife Amal in the May cover issue of Esquire.

“I’ve never been happier in a relationship by any stretch of

the imagination,” he told the magazine. “At 52 I found the love of my life and I’m really happy.”

The couple married in September 2014.

Their star-studded fete was attended by Clooney’s

ISLAND DREAM WORKS Is looking for the following:

MAINTENANCE MAN

Computer Numerical Control (CNC) • Must be able to program G-Code and Artcam Software • Must have at least 7-10 years experience Salary negotiable.

CONTACT: 649-344-5798

11367

Premier Contracting Services

April 23 - 29, 2016

buds such as John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Rande Gerber (co-founder of their Casamigos tequila) and Gerber’s wife, Cindy Crawford.

The 54-year-old “Tomorrowland” star boasted about his liquor brand to the men’s magazine.

“It’s off-the-charts successful. That’s going to be the most successful thing I’ve ever been attached to financially. By far.”

Amal, a British lawyer, recently worked on the political crisis in the Maldives, where the former president, Mohamed Nasheed, was sentenced to prison.

He plans on working on human rights issues alongside his bride.

“Amal and I are working on things now that matter to us on a whole other level, in a whole other world. If there’s a legacy for me, it’s yet to be written,” he said in the interview.

(NYDailynews)

OWNERS RELATIONS AND MANAGEMENT ASSISTANT THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE MUST:

• Have a minimum of 10 years proven experience with progressively increasing responsibility in customer service and customer relationship management in a busy, demanding setting. A reference referring to this experience from a previous employer is required • Have excellent English language skills in written and oral communication • Be prepared to work flexible hours including on evenings, weekends and public holidays as required by the demands of the position • Be capable of reviewing and generating detailed and complex correspondence • Support and manage a busy six person office • Have or be working towards a university degree • Have keyboarding skills and solid working knowledge of Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel and Word • Have access to a car at all times and possess a valid driver’s license

JOB DESCRIPTION:

• Provide upscale professional and high class service to condominium owners • Oversee and coordinate all arrivals and departures • Provide high-level, proactive administrative assistance to the CEO and other senior management, attend meetings, record and distribute minutes • Maintain detailed notes on all unit owner communication in Owner’s Ledgers • Prepare, check and reconcile accurately all monthly statements to owners • Organize, administer, write and edit a monthly condo owner’s newsletter • Liaise with staff and management as required • Carry out errands around the island efficiently as required

Email: mike@theregentgrant.com

11374

April 23 - 29, 2016

Entertainment

35

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR •

• • •

•

• •

• • •

George Clooney (54) and wife Amal (38) got married in September of 2014.

IN THIS SPACE! ONLY

$33

PER WEEK

CALL 946-4664

M & L AMAZING WORLD Is looking for the following positions:

SALESMAN BARTENDER DOMESTIC WORKER SECURITY OFFICER Must be willing to work 6 days per week salary $6.25 per hour.

CONTACT: 242-0521

11373

ADVERTISE

Bohio Dive Resort - Guanahani Restaurant Grand Turk

Premier Contracting Services Premier Contracting Services is seeking suitably qualified applicants to fill the following positions:

ELECTRIC LIFT TRUCK MAINTENANCE ENGINEER As the Lift truck Maintenance Engineer you will be responsible to provide proactive support to all battery/hydraulic operated lift trucks and cleaning machines. You will be required to ensure all systems are functioning and repair as necessary. Complete planned and reactive maintenance to ensure safety and reliability of equipment 24/7. Provide detailed reports for all works completed and ongoing to operations manager. Excellent communication skills are a requirement. Those with vocational college electrician’s diploma will only be considered.

Experience in the following areas is required for this position; • Diagnose malfunctioning systems, apparatus, and components of all battery operated equipment, using test equipment and hand tools, to locate the cause of a breakdown and correct the problem.

• Inspect all electrical systems and hydraulic and mechanical components to identify hazards, defects, and the need for adjustment or repair.

• Advise management on whether continued operation of equipment could be hazardous.

• Test electrical systems and continuity of circuits in electrical wiring, equipment, and fixtures, using testing devices to ensure compatibility, reliability, efficiency and safety of system.

• Working knowledge of complex battery powered electrical systems and electronic controls with ability to diagnose and resolve issues.

• Repair and maintain multiple hydraulic and mechanical components.

• Experience with welding and fabrication a must • Working knowledge of electronic lpg kitchen equipment.

• Ensure inventory of parts is kept up to date.

Salary $18,000 US to $23,000 US per annum dependant on experience. Staff accommodation option is available. If staff accommodation is not accepted no compensation will be provided. A bonus of up to 10% is achievable dependant on manager’s review

IMMEDIATE OPENING FOR JR. SOUS CHEF Requirements: *minimum 1 year culinary experience in a full service, dining establishment *post-secondary degree or equivalent qualification by experience *must have strong knowledge of kitchen inventory and ordering process and ability to supervise a staff under the direction of Executive Chef *must be able to work mornings, nights and weekends on a schedule *excellent culinary technique and ability to work the line during all meal periods *exceptional customer service orientation complying with company service culture *must be fluent in English, verbal and written forms Duties will include: *coordinate the inventory and disbursement of all supplies with F & B Manager *inspect and ensures the proper set up and readiness of each item on menus *supervise daily food preparation *ensure a level of quality, portion control and plate presentation is adhered to consistency *work closely with staff to exceed guest expectation

Deadline for submission of application is May 13th, 2016

Please submit applications with references and relative experience to: Ms. Edith Cox Suite 200 ‘Graceway IGA Main Office Complex Leeward Highway or by emailing to maintenancedept@khcapital.com 11351

Interested applicants should apply to:

Bohio Dive Resort with an updated resume or email to info@bohioresort.com | Tel: 649-946-2135

Responsible for establishing complete maintenance program for all Commercial Laundry & Dry Cleaning equip.

10 years experience in Commercial Laundry industry.

Technical and mechanical education background.

Minimum 5 years diagnostic experience & knowledge required for installation, programming & maintenance of specific laundry equipment; Fulton Boilers, Lavatech Continuous Batch Washer, Jensen Folders & Press, Chicago Press, Ipso & Unimac.

Available to manage different work shifts as required, including nights.

Must be fluent in English.

Must have exceptional computer skills including programs; Linen Master, Laundry-Vision, and ProTools.

Must be self motivated, hard working and reliable.

Email resume to info@pioneertci.com or call 432.1797.

Please fax copy to TCI Labour Office: 649-946-4164 11375

Please Note: Only short-listed applicants will be contacted to attend interviews

36

Entertainment

April 23 - 29, 2016

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

DiCaprio, The Rock and Minaj among TIME 100 Most Influential People

Chris Brown said his life was a lot better before his assault on Rihanna.

Brown was ‘suicidal’ after assaulting Rihanna Leonardo DiCaprio and Nicki Minaj made the cut.

TIME magazine announced its annual TIME 100 Thursday morning, and Hollywood was certainly well represented on the list of the most influential people in the world.

Leonardo DiCaprio, Nicki Minaj, Quantico breakout star Priyanka Chopra, and Hamilton Pulitzer Prizewinning creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda all landed covers.

Inside, Adele, Aziz Ansari, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson,

Caitlyn Jenner, Charlize Theron, and Idris Elba are all represented with essays by fellow bold-faced names.

Jane the Virgin lead Gina Rodriguez was lauded by Rita Moreno, while Tina Fey gushed about her love for Ronda Rousey.

“They each embody a breakthrough: they broke the rules, broke the record, broke the silence, broke the boundaries to reveal what we’re capable of. They are seekers,

with a fearless willingness to be surprised by what they find,” TIME editor Nancy Gibbs explained about this year’s lineup. “The people on the list, each in their own way, have lessons to teach. We can debate those lessons; we don’t have to endorse them or agree with them. But the influence of this year’s TIME 100, to my mind, is that down to the last person, they have the power to make us think. And they are using it.” (EW)

IT’S been years since he assaulted Rihanna, but Chris Brown is speaking out on it.

The singer tweeted the trailer to the forthcoming documentary “Welcome to my Life: The Official Chris Brown Documentary” late Sunday. In it, he speaks about assaulting then-girlfriend Rihanna in 2009 and the aftermath.

“I went from being on top of the world, No. 1 songs, being kind of like America’s sweetheart to being Public Enemy No. 1,” Brown says in the trailer.

The award-winning R&B singer pleaded guilty in 2009 to

assaulting Rihanna on the night of the Grammys. The resulting fallout left Brown devastated, he says in the trailer.

“I was thinking about suicide and everything else,” he said. “I wasn’t sleeping, I barely ate. I just was getting high.”

Brown has continued to make music and headlines, including additional run-ins with the police and other countries threatening to bar him because of his domestic violence conviction.

A release date for the documentary has not yet been announced. (CNN)

Freddie Mercury’s voice focus of new study FREDDIE Mercury’s voice was easy come, easy go, little high, little low, and now a group of researchers have delved into how amazing it was.

The study, “Freddie Mercury -- acoustic analysis of speaking fundamental frequency, vibrato, and subharmonics,” was recently published in the journal “Logopedics Phoniatrics Vocology” and looked at the Queen front man’s vocal abilities.

The team of Austrian, Czech and Swedish authors used archival recordings to delve into the sound of the man whose voice has been described as “a force of nature with the velocity of a hurricane.”

“Freddie Mercury was one of the twentieth century’s best-known singers of commercial contemporary music,” the study states. “This study presents an acoustical analysis of his voice production and singing style, based on perceptual and quantitative analysis of publicly available sound

recordings.”

The study found that Mercury, who died in 1991 from AIDS-related complications, was a master at modulating his voice. The findings included evidence that Mercury was using “subharmonics” by vibrating his ventricular folds, a technique usually found only in Tuvan throat singers.

“Perceptually, Freddie Mercury’s irregular (and typically faster) vibrato is clearly audible in the sustained notes of famous songs such as ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ (A Night at the Opera) or ‘We Are the Champions’ (News of the World), and it appears to be one of the hallmarks of his vocal style,” the study says.

The research comes on the heels of the news that a notebook belonging to Mercury, filled with lyrics to 19 songs, is set to go to auction in June.

(CNN)

The Queen’s front man, Freddie Mercury, was one of the twentieth century’s best-known singers of contemporary music.

April 23 - 29, 2016

37

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

Science & Technology

Every city has its own set of microbes, study reveals Researchers at Columbia University developed a thin and flexible camera that can be wrapped around everyday objects to capture images that cannot be taken with conventional cameras.

Flexible camera wraps around objects to capture 360-degree views A NEW camera that looks like a flat sheet of paper is so thin and flexible that it could be wrapped around everyday objects, such as desks, cars, streetlights and even clothing, new research shows.

The new device could help turn any surface into a camera, and the invention may lead to card-size cameras that can flex in order to increase their field of view, the scientists said.

Regular cameras take pictures from a single point in space, but this new device instead seeks to capture images using a flat grid of miniature cameras — a bit like an insect’s compound eye.

“Wouldn’t it be interesting to design a camera you can wrap around everyday objects to capture views that would be difficult to do with one or more conventional cameras?” said Shree Nayar, a computer scientist at Columbia University and senior author of the study.”Imagine wrapping it around a pole to get a 360-degree view of the world for security purposes,” Nayar said.”Or, if you want your office desk to be more intelligent, have a sheet on your table that could analyse what’s sitting on it.”

The ultraflexible camera wouldn’t be limited in its views the way conventional cameras are, he added.

IT is a known fact that every city has its own set of distinguished characteristics; however, a new report suggests that each of them also has a distinct microbial community.

Researchers observed microbes gathered over the duration of a year from offices based in three different cities, namely, Toronto, San Diego and Flagstaff in Arizona.

A study published in the journal mSystems, the microbes brought under the scanner included microscopic fungi, viruses and bacteria. Incidentally, the Flagstaff office had richer microbial communities compared to those in Toronto or San Diego. However, the cause for the difference has still not been discovered.

According to the researchers, it was especially interesting to note that each of the three cities had its own unique and separate set of microbial communities. “Even within each city, the offices we studied differed from each other in terms of size, usage patterns and ventilation systems, suggesting that geography is more important than any of these features in driving the bacterial community composition of the offices within the ranges that we studied,” said

The researchers did not find the reason for different cities to have its own set of microbes.

J. Gregory Caporaso, assistant director at Center for Microbial Genetics and Genomics (MGGen) at Northern Arizona University (NAU). Caporaso also thinks future research efforts will have a further impact on the study, due to a better comprehension of the microbiology of the built environment and regular checks of microbial communities to observe changes that may have an effect on human health.

Apart from this, the researchers also discovered that one of the major

sources of office microbes happens to be the human skin. Furthermore, office floors were found to have more microbes than ceilings and walls, possibly because of microbes being carried through shoes. The researchers also found that human skin is a major source of office microbes and that office floors have more microbes than walls or ceilings, likely due to materials carried in on workers’ shoes, based on a report from the U.S. National Library of Medicine. (Science World Report)

Super-gonorrhoea’s spread ‘causing huge concern’ DOCTORS have expressed “huge concern” that super-gonorrhoea has spread widely across England and to gay men.

The new superbug prompted a national alert last year when it emerged in Leeds, as one of the main treatments had become useless against it.

Public Health England acknowledges measures to contain the outbreak have been of “limited success”.

Doctors fear the sexually transmitted infection, which can cause infertility, could soon become untreatable.

Cases of super-gonorrhoea have now been detected in the West Midlands, London and southern England.

Only 34 cases have been officially confirmed in laboratory testing, but this is likely to be the tip of the iceberg of an infection that can be symptomless.

The outbreak started in straight

couples, but is now being seen in gay men too.

“We’ve been worried it would spread to men who have sex with men,” Peter Greenhouse, a consultant in sexual health based in Bristol, told BBC News.

“The problem is [they] tend to spread infections a lot faster simply as they change partners more quickly.”

They are also more likely to have gonorrhoea in their throats. There further resistance is more likely to develop as antibiotics get to the throat in lower doses and the area is also teeming with other bacteria that can share the resistance to drugs.

The bacterium that causes gonorrhoea is extremely adept at shrugging off our best antibiotics.

So two drugs - azithromycin and ceftriaxone - are used in combination.

But now resistance to azithromycin is spreading, doctors fear it is only a matter of time before ceftriaxone fails too.

England’s most senior doctor has

Doctors fear the sexually transmitted infection, which can cause infertility, could soon become untreatable.

already warned gonorrhoea is on the cusp of becoming untreatable.

And Dr Gwenda Hughes, the head of the sexually transmitted infections unit at Public Health England, said: “We cannot afford to be complacent.

“If strains of gonorrhoea emerge

that are resistant to both azithromycin and ceftriaxone, treatment options would be limited as there is currently no new antibiotic available to treat the infection.”

She is encouraging people to practise safe sex to minimise the risk of sexually transmitted infections.

There is also a concerted campaign to find the sexual partners of people who have the superbug.

But a Public Health England report acknowledges this has been of “limited success” so far.

Of 50 sexual partners reported, only 22 were successfully followed up, but, worryingly, 94% of partners tested had the infection.

The British Association for Sexual Health and HIV said there needed to be a rapid response to the infection and has warned its members to be on the lookout.

Its president, Dr Elizabeth Carlin, said: “The spread of high level azithromycin-resistant gonorrhoea is a huge concern and it is essential that every effort is made to contain further spread.

“Failure to respond appropriately will jeopardise our ability to treat gonorrhoea effectively and will lead to poorer health outcomes for individuals and society as a whole.”

38

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

Science & Technology

April 23 - 29, 2016

Monkeys crossed from South America to North America 21 million years ago SEVEN fossil teeth of monkey were found in the excavation area in the Panama Canal expansion project. This showed that monkeys had crossed the North American continent from South America 21 million years ago. The study was issued in the journal Nature.

The fossil teeth belonged to a South American Monkey, according to Reuters. The teeth consist of molars that are about one-fifth of an inch long. The voyage of the said monkeys is a bit mysterious.

Jonathan Bloch, a vertebrate paleontology curator at the Florida Museum of Natural History said that Panama at that time represents the southern extreme of the North American continent. He said the monkeys might have swum across.

On the other hand, the feat surely was difficult as it required covering a distance of over than 100 miles.

Bloch further said that they might unintentionally raft across on mats of vegetation.

The monkey is named Panamacebus transitus, according to Science Daily. Bloch said that Panamacebus is associated to capuchin, which is known as “organgrinder” monkey and squirrel

Researchers are working ways to create displays that light up to signal the health of the wearer.

E-skin ‘can monitor body’s oxygen level’ Monkeys travelled over 100M to get from South America to North America 21 million years ago.

monkey that is found in South and Central America nowadays. He said that prior to this discovery, New World monkeys were thought to have evolved in isolation on South America, cut-off from North America by a wide seaway.

Bloch said learning that monkeys lived in North America at that time is a mind-bending discovery. This is because monkeys did not exist in North America before. It is like perceiving that Australian koalas and

kangaroos live in Asia today.

Monkeys are “dry-nosed” primates, consisting of nearly 260 known living species. They are of two types, namely, the Old World monkeys and the New World monkeys. The Old World monkeys originated in Asia and Africa and the New World monkeys are from Central and South America. Monkeys are intelligent, particularly the Old World monkeys. (ScienceWorld Report)

Dinosaurs ‘in decline’ 50 million years before asteroid strike THE dinosaurs were already in decline 50 million years before the asteroid strike that finally wiped them out, a study suggests.

The new assessment adds further fuel to a debate on how dinosaurs were doing when a 10km-wide space rock slammed into Earth 66 million years ago.

A team suggests the creatures were in long-term decline because they could not cope with the ways Earth was changing.

The study appears in PNAS journal.

Researchers analysed the fossil remains of dinosaurs from the point they emerged 231 million years ago up to the point they went extinct.

To begin with, new species evolved at an explosive rate. But things started to slow about 160 million years ago, leading to a decline in the number of species which commences at about 120 million years ago.

Dr Manabu Sakamoto, a palaeontologist from the University of Reading, who led the research, said: “We were not expecting this result.”

“Even though they were wiped out ultimately by the impact of the asteroid, they were actually already

It is believed that the dinosaurs’ 50 million year decline rendered them even more susceptible to the environmental catastrophe that followed the asteroid impact.

on their way out around 50 million years before the asteroid hit.”

Dr Sakamoto’s analysis shows that the long-necked giant sauropod dinosaurs were declining the fastest, whereas theropods, the group of dinosaurs that included the iconic Tyrannosaurus rex, were in a more gradual decline.

Co-author Dr Chris Venditti, an evolutionary biologist from the University of Reading, told BBC News:

“The current widespread view is that dinosaurs were reigning strong right up to the impact that hit the Earth - and it’s the impact that drove their final extinction,” he said.

“And while that’s certainly true, what we found was that they were on the decline long before that.”

Dr Venditti believes that the dinosaurs’ 50 million year decline rendered them even more susceptible to the environmental catastrophe that followed the asteroid impact.

SCIENTISTS Say they have developed ultra-thin electronic “skin” that can measure oxygen levels when stuck to the body.

The goal is to develop such “skin” to monitor oxygen levels in organs during surgery, say researchers in Japan.

Tests on volunteers found the “skin” provided stable measurements of oxygen concentration in blood.

The device contains microelectronic components that light up in red, blue and green on the surface of the body.

Scientists at the University of Tokyo are working on ways to display numbers and letters on the

skin for health monitoring purposes.

Wearable electronics are a future growth area in research, with interest in medical applications such as contact lenses that monitor glucose levels, or smart glasses.

The latest findings are revealed in Science Advances.

“The device unobtrusively measures the oxygen concentration of blood when laminated on a finger,” said lead researcher Tomoyuki Yokota and colleagues.

He added: “Ultimately, flexible organic optical sensors may be directly laminated on organs to monitor the blood oxygen level during and after surgery.” (BBC)

AMERICANS prefer weather changes brought over by global warming, study reveals Americans do not think global warming is a major threat, according to a new study. On the contrary, the citizens of the U.S. feel that climate change has made the weather more pleasant for them, an opinion which is not shared by scientists and the rest of the world.

A study published in the Nature journal states that Americans’ perception of global warming will soon be outweighed when they start experiencing more oppressive summer heat along with the milder winters they are enjoying at the moment. “Americans are getting the wrong signal from year-round weather about whether they should be concerned about climate change,” said author Patrick Egan, study lead author from New York University (NYU). “They’re getting the good parts and haven’t had to pay the price of the bad part.”

However, if heat-trapping gases are not controlled, then approximately nine out of 10 Americans will experience worse weather during summers by the end of the century.

Based on past studies that looked into choices of living areas, employment, relocation and other factors, Egan and his colleague created a weather preference index for Americans. The goal of the research was to find out

why Americans were so reluctant to address the problem of climate change.

According to the research, it was found out that the average person in the U.S. prefers warm winters and summers that are less hot and humid. Phoenix, San Diego and Miami emerged on the top of the new index and the lowest positions were taken by Detroit, Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Based on the finding, it was observed that the weather in the U.S. had trended closer to Miami than Pittsburgh, which meant that the daily weather had gotten closer to their preferences. Climate scientist Michael Mann feels this phenomenon may have made Americans complacent and nonchalant towards the effects of climate change.

A report in Wall Street Journal suggests that the study was met with criticisms as many scientists feel that the considering factors, such as, where people choose to live, are not good indicators of what weather they prefer, making it a flawed theory.

The research also doesn’t deal with extreme weather conditions, according to opponents of the study findings. Meanwhile, Egan and his colleague feel that scientists should talk more about the extreme weather than average temperatures, according to the report. (SWR)

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Webb regretted illegal conduct in 2015 guilty plea

Russian athletes will know their fate in June.

Olympics 2016: Russia fate to be decided on 17 June RUSSIA’S participation in athletics at the Rio Olympics will be decided when the council of world governing body the IAAF meets on 17 June in Vienna.

The IAAF voted to suspend Russia’s federation (ARAF) on 13 November after the publication of an independent World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) report that alleged “state-sponsored doping”.

The IAAF has outlined conditions ARAF must meet for the ban to be lifted.

The Olympic athletics programme begins in Brazil on 12 August.

Russia, which said in November it is “fully committed” to reforms, will only be reinstated if it fulfils strict criteria, including compliance with all Wada and IAAF anti-doping rules.

The athletics federation must cut ties with all convicted dopers, resolve current disciplinary cases and investigate potential cases if it is to be readmitted to competition.

WHEN Jeffrey Webb pleaded guilty in a New York court last year, the disgraced former Cayman Islands football hero admitted using his position as the former president of CIFA and CONCACAF and vice president of FIFA for his own personal benefit and said he regretted his criminal conduct.

The courtroom admissions were released to the US media on Monday following legal action by Bloomberg. In the plea statement, he said he misused his position in FIFA for personal benefits, as he came clean about the corruption, which he implied was common in the organisation.

Webb, who is expected to be sentenced in June, told the court that he received bribes for the sale of commercial rights for the FIFA World Cup 2018, still currently scheduled to be held in Russia, and for the World Cup qualifying matches for the 2022 tournament.

He also confessed to receiving cash kickbacks in 2012, 2013 and 2014 for other tournaments, including the Copa America Centenario tournament.

“I abused my position to obtain bribes and kickbacks for my personal benefit. I believed that such offers were common in this business. I deeply regret my participation in this

Jeffrey Webb, who is expected to be sentenced in June, told the court that he received bribes for the sale of commercial rights for the FIFA World Cup 2018, still currently scheduled to be held in Russia, and for the World Cup qualifying matches for the 2022 tournament.

illegal conduct,” Webb stated last November, according to the court transcripts. Webb said that in 2012 he was told that sports marketing companies would offer “side payments”, or bribes, in exchange for commercial rights to soccer matches.

He also pleaded guilty to charges relating to conspiring to defraud his employers and conspiracy to commit money laundering offenses by transmitting money from the United States to front accounts in Panama and in the Cayman Islands, among other places.

Webb is currently under house

arrest on an electronic tag in his mansion in Atlanta, Georgia, which is understood to have been partially funded by the ill-gotten gains made using his position at FIFA and through a criminal enterprise in Cayman.

The court documents, which have been redacted, also relate to the confessions of Argentinean-Italian marketing executive, Alejandro Burzaco, and Brazilian intermediary, Jose Margulies, both of whom also pleaded guilty last year to various charges in the massive FIFA corruption scandal. (Caribbean News Now)

Blatter ‘offered FIFA role to Burundi president’ Lebron James led the Cavaliers with 27 points.

Cavaliers tie three-point record in win over Pistons LEBRON James scored 27 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers tied an NBA playoff record with 20 3-pointers in a 107-90 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday in Game 2 of an NBA Western Conference playoff series.

The Cavaliers lead the series 2-0 with Game 3 on Friday night at Detroit.

The Cavs struggled to put away the Pistons in Game 1 and struggled again until late in the third quarter.

They trailed by 10 points early and still were behind midway through the third quarter before a Kevin Love 3-pointer gave Cleveland the lead for

good at 63-62.

Love’s basket started a flurry of five 3-pointers in the final 6:49 of the quarter.

J.R. Smith’s 3-pointer in the final minute of the third -- his seventh of the game -- extended the lead to 8268 entering the fourth quarter and the Cavs coasted from there.

The 20 3-pointers were more than the Cavs made in any game during the regular season and made them the fourth team to hit 20 in a postseason game. The most recent was the Golden State Warriors last year.

FIFA ex-president Sepp Blatter says he was asked by the Swiss authorities to help ease Burundi’s political crisis by offering the country’s president a job.

In a new book, Mr Blatter says he offered keen football fan Pierre Nkurunziza an ambassadorial role in exchange for the leader stepping down.

Mr Nkurunziza declined and won a controversial third term in office.

The Swiss foreign ministry confirmed it sought Mr Blatter’s help but denied seeking Mr Nkurunziza’s resignation.

“The intention was to contribute to a peaceful solution in order to prevent the current crisis in Burundi,” a statement said.

The approach to Mr Nkurunziza took place in May last year, shortly after the protests began against his attempt to win another term.

The Burundian leader is known for his love of football - he owns his own side, Hallelujah FC, and once coached a Burundian first division team.

In his book, Mr Blatter is quoted as

Mr Nkurunziza was photographed playing football as protests grew against him last year.

saying: “I proposed to the president... if it could be an advantage for him or his country, FIFA could deploy him as an ambassador for football in Africa, or the world.”

But Mr Nkurunziza said no and was instead re-elected in a poll boycotted by the main opposition parties, who saw the bid as illegal.

Months of unrest have followed, with more than 400 people killed and tens of thousands fleeing the country.

Mr Nkurunziza’s office told the BBC the Burundian president had been approached by Mr Blatter, and that the then-FIFA chief was being used by powerful Western nations, without naming them.

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Wales footballer’s rape conviction quashed FOOTBALLER Ched Evans has had his conviction for rape quashed at the Court of Appeal in London, but will face a new trial.

The ex-Wales international was jailed in 2012 for raping a 19-yearold at a Premier Inn near Rhyl, Denbighshire.

The former Sheffield United, Manchester City and Norwich player was released from jail in October 2014 after serving half of his five-year term.

Mr Evans, 27, has always denied raping the woman.

Speaking outside court Mr Evans’s solicitor Shaun Draycott said: “Ched Evans is extremely grateful that the court of appeal has ruled that his conviction for rape was unsafe and should be quashed.”

The striker’s case was referred to the Court of Appeal by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), which investigates possible miscarriages of justice in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, after new evidence emerged.

Lady Justice Hallett, Mr Justice Flaux and Sir David Maddison heard submissions over two days from Kieran Vaughan QC, for Mr Evans, and from Eleanor Laws QC, for the Crown.

Fidel Edwards played a huge part in Hampshire avoiding relegation from Division One of the County Championship last season.

Ched Evans started his career at Manchester City before moving to Sheffield United, where he scored 48 goals.

Announcing the court’s decision, Lady Justice Hallett said the judges heard “fresh evidence” during the appeal hearing on 22 and 23 March.

She said: “In summary, we have concluded that we must allow the appeal and that it is in the interests of justice to order a retrial.”

The court quashed Mr Evans’s conviction and declared: “The appellant will be retried on the allegation of rape.”

Mr Evans has not been signed by a new club since his release from prison.

A Football Association of Wales spokesman said: “The FAW notes the decision of the Court of Appeal on the appeal by Ched Evans against his conviction for rape.

“The matter remains subject to ongoing court proceedings. As such, the FAW will not be making any further comment on this matter at this time.” (BBC)

Hampshire fast bowler Edwards breaks leg ‘playing football in warm-up’ HAMPSHIRE fast bowler Fidel Edwards has suffered a broken leg after reportedly being injured playing football.

He is believed to have sustained the injury in the warm-up on the final morning of Hampshire’s County Championship match against Yorkshire.

The 34-year-old West Indies seamer spent Wednesday night in Leeds General Infirmary after the incident.

“Today the process of healing

starts both mentally and physically,” he posted on his Instagram page.

Hampshire are yet to confirm how long he is likely to be sidelined for.

Edwards played a huge part in Hampshire avoiding relegation from Division One of the County Championship last season.

He took 45 wickets in the competition, including 10 wickets as Hampshire beat Nottinghamshire in the final match of the season at Trent Bridge. (BBC)

Arum: Pacquiao-Bradley III lost money, had ‘terrible’ PPV numbers IF welterweight Manny Pacquiao’s unanimous decision victory against Timothy Bradley Jr. in their third fight was indeed the last of his career, as Pacquiao said it was, he went out with a whimper, at least commercially.

Pacquiao-Bradley III, which took place April 9 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, generated between 400,000 and 500,000 HBO PPV buys, a very disappointing result, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said Wednesday.

“It will be somewhere between those numbers, 400,000 and 500,000.

It’s all being added up, but it will be closer to 400,000 than 500,000.

Terrible,” Arum said.

Some in the industry say they think Arum is being optimistic and that when everything is counted, the fight might not even reach 400,000.

Either way, Arum said the fight, for which the main event alone cost $24 million ($20 million to Pacquiao and $4 million to Bradley), lost money.

“Yes, it loses money,” Arum said.

“It was not one of our big successes.

It happens. We’re big boys. Do I feel good about it? No.” Pacquiao, boxing’s only eightdivision titleholder and the icon of

Jonathon Nicola, 30, is being held for posing as a high school basketball player. (YouTube/AC Livestrong)

The third fight between Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley Jr. generated between 400,000 and 500,000 HBO PPV buys, a very disappointing result, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said Wednesday.

the Philippines, had already faced Bradley twice in fights virtually everybody thought Pacquiao won easily, though Bradley received a split decision win in their hugely controversial first fight in 2012.

Pacquiao won the 2014 rematch in similarly dominant fashion and few were asking for a third fight, which Pacquiao also won handily.

But Arum said the poor numbers were not a matter of the public being tired of the matchup. Rather, he said it was more a combination of two other elements -- the overwhelmingly negative public reaction to Pacquiao’s

recent anti-gay comments, in which he said that homosexuals are “worse than animals,” and because of a hangover from May’s Floyd Mayweather-Pacquiao megafight, which cost $100 for pay-per-view and delivered so little that many fans are still upset about it.

“Certainly the pushback from Manny’s gay remarks killed us,” Arum said. “It hurt us a lot. But I think it was also less a reaction to the match than a reaction to the MayweatherPacquiao fight. It was a reaction like Mayweather got. Mayweather also got punished [by consumers].”

Dominant 6-foot-9 high school basketball player really 30 years old In January, Jonathon Nicola told the media he arrived in Ontario after fleeing the violence of South Sudan.

What the gifted 6-foot-9 high school basketball player didn’t reveal is his age, and according to the Windsor Star, Nicola is actually 30 years old.

Per the Star, Nicola was arrested earlier this week and and is being held under violation of the Immigration Refugee Protection Act. No details have been revealed from the Canada Border Services agency or school officials at Catholic Central High School, where Nicola was a star as a 6-9 center.

“There’s really not a whole lot to say,” a local school board spokesman

told the Star. “Because of the fact this is a matter that’s still outstanding before the federal authorities, obviously we can’t really comment on it. Beyond that there’s not a whole lot to say.”

Nicola remains in custody with another hearing scheduled for next week.

Canada Homestay, a group that finds homes for foreign students, arranged for Nicola to live with Pete Cusumano, the head basketball coach at Catholic Central, under the impression that he was a 17-yearold, Grade 11 student.

Cusumano told the paper he isn’t allowed to discuss the situation.

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Olympic boost for Brazil with Neymar set for Rio La Fleche Wallonne winners Alejandro Valverde and Anna van der Breggen.

Valverde wins La Fleche Wallonne for record fourth time ALEJANDRO Valverde has won La Fleche Wallonne one-day classic in Belgium for a record fourth time.

The Movistar rider powered up the famous Mur de Huy climb to take his third victory in a row.

The Spaniard, 35, finished just a few metres ahead of EtixxQuick Step’s Julian Alaphilippe

and Dan Martin on the Ardennes course.

Anna van der Breggen won the women’s race, as Britain’s Lizzie Armitstead came home in 28th place.

Top Dutch rider and rival to World Road Race champion Armitstead, Marianne Vos, finished ninth after a long injury lay-off. (BBC)

THERE might be a few empty seats at Olympic venues this summer, but tickets for soccer matches involving hosts Brazil might now be a little harder to come by.

That’s because Barcelona superstar Neymar looks set to play in his second Olympic Games after a deal was reached between his Spanish club and the Brazilian Football Confederation.

A statement on the Barcelona website said the striker would take to the field in Rio de Janeiro in August but not play for his country in the Copa America tournament in the United States two months earlier.

“F.C. Barcelona expresses its gratitude to the Brazilian Football Confederation and its president Marco Polo del Nero for accepting the Club’s proposal,” it said.

FIFA rules obligate clubs to release players for international duty, except when it comes to the Olympics.

Brazil were beaten by Mexico in the final in London four years ago.

Neymar’s appearance in Rio will be a welcome boost for Olympic organisers struggling with sluggish ticket sales -- less than half of

Neymar will play will play in the Olympics, but miss the Copa America tournament.

available tickets have been sold with four months to go.

Earlier this month, Brazil’s new minister of sports, Ricardo Leyser, admitted the government was considering buying tickets to distribute among the country’s public schools in an effort to boost interest.

The games couldn’t have come at a worse time for Brazil, with the country struggling with a deadly

epidemic, a political crisis and a misfiring economy.

There had been fears that the Zika virus might even threaten the games itself, with approximately 16,000 athletes and 600,000 visitors expected in Rio between August 3 and 21. But Brazilian authorities remain confident they can minimize any threat from the mosquito-borne infection. (CNN)

UFC fighter McGregor says he is ‘not retired’

Forward Kawhi Leonard is the first none-centre to win the award in consecutive years.

Spurs’ Leonard wins Defensive Player of the Year again SAN Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year on Monday, claiming the award for the second straight season.

Leonard led a Spurs defense that allowed the fewest points per game (92.9) in the league this season, three points better than the Utah Jazz.

He finished the regular season with 1.78 steals, 5.5 defensive rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game.

He also averaged career-highs in points (21.2) and assists (2.6).

Leonard is the first non-centre

to win the award in consecutive seasons since Dennis Rodman in 1989–90 and 1990–91. Houston Rockets centre Dwight Howard is the last player to win the award in back-to-back seasons, claiming it three-straight times from 2008–09 to 2010–11.

Leonard finished with 84 of 130 first-place votes, 40 more than second-place finisher Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors.

Miami Heat forward Hassan Whiteside got the last two votes.

(SI)

CONOR McGregor says he has not retired from the Ultimate Fighting Championship - but has fallen out with the sport’s bosses over promotional work.

The 27 year old triggered speculation he was quitting on Tuesday when he tweeted: “I have decided to retire young. Thanks for the cheese.”

UFC president Dana White then revealed McGregor would not be fighting Nate Diaz on the UFC 200 card on 9 July.

But in a statement issued on Thursday, McGregor said: “I am not retired.”

White claimed McGregor was withdrawn from the card for refusing to fly to Las Vegas for a news conference and promotional photos.

In his statement, Ireland’s McGregor said he was being asked to do too much promotional work by the UFC and was not able to concentrate on his training.

“I am paid to fight. I am not yet paid to promote. I have become lost in the game of promotion and forgot about the art of fighting,” he said.

“There comes a time when you need to stop handing out flyers and get back to the damn shop.”

Conor McGregor said he was doing too much promotional work, adding it was “time for the other monkeys to dance”.

McGregor also blamed his heavy promotional workload for his loss in his last fight, when Diaz became the first man to beat him in UFC. He said he had asked for leeway when promoting UFC 200 to “train and focus - but it was denied”.

And he explained that his “retirement” tweet from earlier in the week was his way of generating promotion.

He added: “I must isolate myself now. I am facing a taller, longer and heavier man. I need to prepare

correctly this time. I can not dance for you this time. It is time for the other monkeys to dance.

“I am still ready to go for UFC 200. I will offer, like I already did, to fly to New York for the big press conference that was scheduled, and then I will go back into training.

With no distractions.

“If this is not enough or they feel I have not deserved to sit this promotion run out this one time, well then I don’t know what to say.”

(BBC)

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Sanchez boosts Arsenal’s top-four hope ALEXIS Sanchez scored twice as Arsenal beat West Brom to strengthen their hopes of a top-four finish.

The Gunners had drawn their previous two games but Sanchez settled the nerves with a neat finish on the turn from outside the area.

West Brom’s Gareth McAuley hit the bar with a header but that was as close as they came to a goal.

And Sanchez’s driven free-kick secured the win for Arsenal, who move up to third, five points behind Tottenham.

The win helps ease concerns the Gunners could miss out on the top four - they are now four points clear of Manchester United in fifth.

Striving to stay in the top four is a far cry from how Arsenal’s fans would have imagined this season finishing considering their position on New Year’s Day, when they were top of the table.

The north London club were ideally positioned to challenge for a first Premier League title in 12 years, but a run of just five wins in 2016 prior to the visit of West Brom all but ended their hopes.

A disappointing 1-1 draw at home to Crystal Palace on Sunday left the Gunners 13 points behind leaders Leicester and some fans had made their discontent clear with boos at the final whistle at the weekend.

Fan apathy was evident in the number of empty seats at Emirates Stadium on Thursday, and there was an eerie atmosphere when the game

The course was short in the 2013, 2014 and 2015 races.

Alexis Sanchez’s double took him to 12 league goals for the season

got under way.

An early goal was needed to ease the tension and Sanchez duly stepped up to deliver with a finish of real quality. The forward received a pass from Mesut Ozil and turned Sandro before firing beyond Ben Foster.

The Chilean was at his marauding best and he continued to torment West Brom before deservedly scoring a second, driving a free-kick through the West Brom wall.

Under Tony Pulis, West Brom have hardly been prolific. They have scored just 50 goals in 51 games and have had the fewest shots on target in the Premier League this season with 93.

Add that to the fact they had lost all but one of their nine previous Premier League trips to Arsenal, and

a victory for the visitors looked like a tall order.

Their best chances came from set pieces. McAuley rattled the bar from a corner when the score was 1-0, while Salomon Rondon missed a near open goal from another corner midway through the second half.

From open play they carried no threat but with the Baggies 15th and 10 points clear of trouble, their job is largely done.

This game was the first for referee Jon Moss since his controversial performance in the 2-2 draw between leaders Leicester and West Ham on Sunday.

Moss awarded two penalties in that game, and also gave Foxes striker Jamie Vardy a second yellow card for diving.

Greater Manchester Marathon course was 380m short, says measuring body THREE years of Greater Manchester Marathon times have been declared invalid after a discovery that the course was 380m too short - a mistake affecting about 24,000 runners.

An error in measuring the course before the 2013 event was not corrected for the 2014 or 2015 races, the Association of UK Course Measurers (AUKCM) said.

UK Athletics will not now recognise times from those races.

The error was corrected in time for this year’s race, held on 10 April.

The mistake meant the course was 15 yards short of 26 miles between 2013 and 2015 - a true marathon

distance is 26 miles, 385 yards.

Marathon courses are measured out using a bicycle fitted with a counter to calculate distance by the turning of the wheels.

AUKCM said an accredited measurer had ridden the course in this way in 2013, but indicated that there had been an error in the calibration of the bicycle wheel.

The organisation said: “AUKCM regret the error in measurement and the effect it has on runners’ times.

“Significant errors in measurement are rare - our procedures are designed to find them at the reporting or checking stages.” (BBC)

Singapore Sevens: Kenya dominates Fiji in finals THE Kenyans will want to savour this moment for a long time. The Singapore Sevens victors capped an impressive weekend performance with a dominating 30-7 victory over series-leaders Fiji in the finals Sunday -- the team’s first win in 114 tournaments.

Kenya got off to a blistering 20-0 start in the final with superstar Collins Injera recording two tries in the process. The 29-year-old Injera took his all-time tally to 225, just five short of the record set by Argentinian Santiago Gomez Cora.

Fiji’s Jerry Tuwai scored in the second half, but it was too little too late, as both Nelson Oyoo and Frank Wanyama came back with tries of their own for Kenya to nail the victory.

Injera continued from his fine run of form in the semifinals, where he recorded a winning drop-goal against Argentina to advance Kenya into its first finals since 2013.

“There was pressure, definitely,” said Injera shortly after the match. “I

Anthony Joshua (right) knocked out Charles Martin in the second round to win the IBF title.

IBF heavyweight champion Joshua to make first defence on 25 June Kenya’s players celebrate after beating Fiji during the cup final at the Singapore Sevens rugby tournament on Sunday last.

knew I had to nail it, and I just got myself down and nailed it.

Earlier, in the first semifinal, Fiji came from behind on a last-minute thriller to edge South Africa 26-21.

With the score tied and just a few seconds remaining on the clock, Fiji’s Amenoni Nasisila passed to an open Alivereti Veitokani who raced

in to score in the corner.

Fiji are still tops on the HSBC World Sevens Series leaderboard with 147 points -- eight points ahead of second-place South Africa with just two tournaments to go.

New Zealand stands at third place with 135 points. Kenya moving up to seventh position with 85. (CNN)

IBF heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua has announced he will make the first defence of his title at London’s O2 on 25 June.

Joshua, 26, broke the news in a video on his Twitter page, saying: “I wanted the closest date possible because I’m feeling good.”

No opponent has yet been announced.

Joshua, the 2012 Olympic superheavyweight gold medallist, won the IBF title with a second-round stoppage of American Charles

Martin.

That victory earlier this month came in only his 16th professional fight, all of which he has won by knockout.

Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn had said Joshua’s next fight was due to take place on 9 July at Wembley, but the plan was changed when Tyson Fury - the WBA, IBO and WBO heavyweight champion - announced his rematch with Wladimir Klitschko would take place on the same date in Manchester. (BBC)

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Participants were also allowed to test their blood pressure at the event.

15 year-old Rebecca Bernadin was the first female across the finish line and the 10th finisher overall.

TCI RUN WALK AND BIKE-A-THON:

Redmond and Bernadin first runners to finish SEASONED distance runner Dan Redmond was the fastest male while national junior athlete Rebecca Bernadin was the first female finisher in last Saturday’s running leg of the TCIFA’s Fun Run, Walk and Bike-AThon.

The event which was geared to raise funds for the development of the TCIFA Youth Programme, drew a large number of participants.

Bernadin, who competed at this year’s CARIFTA Games, was joined by her 13 year-old teammate Zoe Butler at the 5K finish line.

Butler won the youth runner title and as Bernadin she also carried home a HP laptop computer.

Lavardo Campbell, third overall and top male junior performer also won a HP laptop.

Stewart Howard was the first male cyclist, while Cameron Thompson was the first youth male cyclist to finish.

The day began with a warm up exercise lead by Adina Ciurar, of the Graceway Sports Centre, and ended with blood pressure and glucose

testing by Dr. Marcela Malcolm, as well as the prize giving ceremony.

General Secretary of the TCIFA Candia Ewing said that: “We are very fortunate to have a community of supportive individuals and businesses, who share the same vision, and we are eternally grateful for their continuous efforts and support.”

At the moment the TCIFA has programmes for over 300 youths, since they have extended to other islands outside of Providenciales; namely, South Caicos, North/Middle Caicos and Grand Turk.

“It is our mission to continue increasing the numbers of persons involved in football; whether it be players, coaches, or referees. We are dedicated to the development of our Turks and Caicos Island youth and we want to provide the best conditions for this occur.

We are also in the business of promoting healthy lifestyles,” Ewing added.

The winners of the various categories are as follows:

• 1st youth runner male- Laptop Computer (sponsored by Elite Brokerage): Lavardo Campbell • 1st youth runner female- Laptop Computer (sponsored by Elite Brokerage): Zoe Butler • 1st place youth cyclist maleSmart Watch (sponsored by Marsha Lightbourne): Cameron Thompson • 1st place adult runner male- Health Juicer (sponsored by Rodney Munnings): Dan Redmond • 1st place adult runner femaleHealth Juicer (sponsored by Rodney Munnings): Rebecca Bernadin • 1st place adult cyclist male- GNC Gift Bag (sponsored by Flamingo Pharmacy): Stewart Howard • 2nd place adult male cyclist male- Smart Watch (sponsored

by Marsha Lightbourne): Aldino Dayupay • 1st place Most Supportive GroupScotia Bank • 2nd place Most Supportive Group- Fortis TCI • $100 KB homes gift certificate:

Francois • $100 GoldSmith gift certificate: Emily Galtin • 3 youngest youth football playersFootballs: De’aysia Seymour, Kate Blain and Jack Blain Projetech also sponsored the TCIFA with two laptop computers to be drawn by one male and one female TCIFA youth football player.

The winners of this category were Junior Paul and Robria Clarke.

One of the most anticipated occurrences of the event was the spring raffle draw. The 10 lucky winners are as follows: • 1st - Jermaine Laporte - 2 Round Trip Tickets to Miami and 3 day SUV Rental ( sponsored by Provo Tavel) • 2nd- Darnell Hanchell - 2 Round Trip Tickets to any InterCaribbean Destination (sponsored by InterCaribbean) • 3rd- Adrian Carr - 2 Round Trip Tickets to the Dominican Republic (sponsored by Tropical Shipping) • 4th- Lemarii Robinson - Iphone 6

(sponsored by LIME) • 5th- Simon Wood - Samsung Galaxy S6 (sponsored by Digicel) • 6th- Dann Hughs - 1 40” Television (sponsored by Kishco) • 7th- Clive Stanbrook - 1 BBQ Grill (sponsored by Building Materials) • 8th- Cemone Oberg - 1 Round of Golf (18 hole) (sponsored by Provo Golf Club) • 9th- Rosaria Talbot - $200 IGA Gift Certificate • 10th- Don Scholar - $150 IGA Gift Certificate According to a release from the TCIFA, partner Gordon’s Supply, as well as our sponsors: Provo Travel, InterCaribbean Airways, Tropical shipping, LIME, Digicel, KB Homes, Kishco, Provo Golf Club, Building Materials, RBC, FCIB, Elite Brokerage, Flamingo Pharmacy, Goldsmith, Quality, Coca Cola, Marsha Lightbourne, Kwakou Fulford, Rodney Munnings, Norman Hamilton, Allan Robinson, Dr. Marcela Lightbourne, and Adina Cuirar, supported the event well.

PABA Playoffs set for Friday THE much anticipated Provo Amateur Basketball Association (PABA) Playoffs will begin this Friday at the Gustarvus Lightbourne Sports Complex court with the top eight teams battling for supremacy.

The Flyers (16-3), who had a rough start, bounced back well to finish as the top regular season team, while the South Caicos Harbour Ballers (15-4) who were undefeated for a long time settled for the number two spot.

The Police Badgers are number three (14-6), while defending

champions Grand Turk are fourth with 13 wins in 19 tries.

The Predators, Nazarene Kings, North Caicos Spartans and the Knights have gained the last four spots respectively.

In the final game on Wednesday night to decide to sixth and seventh seed, the Kings defeated the Spartans 80-63 after Randy Rigby exploded with 30 points, seven rebounds and three steals.

Despite his dominance Rigby was not the leading scorer, since the Spartans’ Devon Williams shot

the ball well to score 35 points, 11 rebounds and four steals.

Corin Lightbourne added nine points and 12 rebounds.

The first round of the Playoffs will see the teams battling in a best in three, while in the semi-finals and finals it will be a best-in-five.

According to the PABA if the referees are available, the Kings and Police and the Stallions and Predators will battle on Friday.

Saturday night will see South Caicos Harbour Ballers against the Spartans and the Flyers against the Knights.

The Spartans’ Devon Williams score 35 points, 11 rebounds and four steals in the final regular season game.

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April 23 - 29, 2016

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

TCIRFU INTER-SCHOOL TAG RUGBY FESTIVAL:

Enid Capron bounce back to win U12s – Wesley Methodist top U8s ENID Capron youngsters proved that rugby is alive in their school after winning the U12 title last Saturday at the TCIRFU fourth Inter-School Tag Rugby Festival at the Meridian ground.

The win for Enid Capron was a stark turnaround from their last place finish in 2015. In the U8 division Wesley Methodist defeated the International School twice to secure the top spot.

The primary school tournament saw more schools entering more teams than ever before.

A total of six Providenciales schools fielded nine teams in both age divisions.

Information from the governing TCIRFU indicates that the sport is growing at the junior level.

“All participants demonstrated

improved rugby skills to make for one of the most thrilling tournaments to date.

Popularity for rugby is growing so much that there will be a second Tag Rugby Festival scheduled for June this year, between the secondary schools of TCI.” According to PRO Dan Willis: “Teaching rugby and nurturing the game’s core skills and values to children helps promote not only a healthy lifestyle, but also helps children learn valuable life skills, such as teamwork, discipline, focus and problem solving.”

The competing schools included: Enid Capron (two teams), Wesley Methodist, Provo Primary (two teams), TCI Middle School, British West Indies Collegiate, and The International School (two teams).

The participants of this year’s tournament.

U12 winners Enid Capron on the attack against the International School.

TURK’S HEAD CUP:

Academy and Beaches advance to final

The AFC Academy rebounded from a 6-0 defeat last Tuesday to beat Full Physic 2-1 last Saturday.

THE AFC Academy and Beaches have advanced to the final of the Turk’s Head Cup on May 14 after wins against Full Physic and Grand Turk United last Saturday at the Academy ground.

The Academy team bounced back from their painful 6-0 drubbing days before in the Gilley’s Enterprises Provo Premier League against the same Full Physic team to win 2-1.

Full Physic started quickly and placed pressure on the eventual winners after an early chance, but it was the Academy team, led

by Ramond Burey who found the back of the net 16 minutes into the game. After another goal

and a red card from a dangerous Samuel Nacius tackle, Academy took control.

Nacius had dominated in the previous game with five goals.

In the other clash Beaches were on the back foot early after pressure from Grand Turk United resulted in an own goal four minutes after kick off.

But Beaches equalised in the 27th minute through a Barrington Somers strike. In the late second half Romain Small sealed the win.

Meanwhile information from the league indicates that Grand Turk United are looking for sponsors to help offset their travelling expenses.

April 23 - 29, 2016

Sports National

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TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

Simmons leads LSU to Regional rugby title AN MVP performance from TCI’s national rugby player Kadis Simmons led his school, the Louisiana State University of Alexandria, to a Regional title last Saturday in Tennessee.

The Grand Turk born forward, who scored on average three tries in each of his team’s four wins at the National Small College Rugby Organisation (NSCRO) 7’s tournament, was elated with the result.

“Well driving for nine hours from Louisiana to Tennessee is a long way. So to get the win meant a lot for us, we couldn’t make that long drive

just to go back with nothing.”

This is Simmons’s second MVP for his school. He won his first in a 15s competition last year.

“Getting the MVP just goes to show what you put in is what you get out, practice hard and play harder. In terms of work ethics we practice on a daily basis on the field and in the gym.”

With the win LSU will be heading to the NSCRO National tournament in late May. LSU lost their change of reaching the national tournament in the 15s earlier this year.

The 20-year-old Simmons and two other TCI rugby players are

studying at the university via partial scholarships organised through the TCIRFU and with TCIRFU funding.

Forward Hendriks Joseph and hooker Scott Glinton did not compete in last Saturday’s competition, they however did compete in the school’s 15s competition last year.

PRO of the TCIRFU Dan Willis was happy with Simmons’s performance.

“Simmons is making excellent progress with his rugby... Kadis is definitely one to watch in the LSU team and TCI. He’s an asset for both teams and seems to be only improving.”

Kadis Simmons dominated each of the four games LSU played last Saturday.

The Flamingos will battle Curacao on April 30th in the DR.

Flamingos to play Curacao instead of BVI THE senior national male rugby 15s team will play Curacao instead of the British Virgin Islands (BVI) next Saturday in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic in an IRB sanctioned international fixture.

The announced was made this week due to a timeline clash.

TCI’s Flamingos are hunting their first officially international victory and the change in team might just help them over the hurdle.

In the January 2016 rankings BVI were ranked 22nd in the Americas, while Curacao were slightly lower at 25. TCI were at the bottom of the table at 40.

TCI has been improving in recent years and in their few international

fixtures they have held their own.

They have also dominated the majority of the visiting club teams from North America.

Recently TCI recorded their fifth win against the visiting Bayonne Bombers RFC out of NJ. PRO Dan

Willis said that the national team is ready for the battle. “Flamingos are well drilled and super ready for them (Curacao).”

A win will help decide TCI’s position in the Rugby Americas North Caribbean League.

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TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

April 23 - 29, 2016

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April 23 - 29, 2016

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