COMMISSIONING OF SOLAR PV SYSTEMS AT THREE TCI GOVERNMENT CLINICS
Providenciales, July 4, 2024 – The Turks and Caicos Government (TCIG) is pleased to announce a leap towards sustainability and energy efficiency with the successful commissioning of three solar PV systems at three TCIG healthcare clinics on the islands of Providenciales, North Caicos and Middle Caicos.
Leading the ceremonial commissioning of the three solar installations were the Acting Premier, Hon. Jamel Robinson, Hon. Kyle Knowles, Minister of Public Safety and Utilities, Hon. Shaun Malcolm, Minister of Health, and Engr. Delano R. Arthur, Energy and Utilities Commissioner.
“The event was a testament to our Government’s unwavering determination to harness the power of the sun,” commented the Hon. Mr. Robinson. “The clinics, including the Blue Hills Clinic on Providenciales, the Bottle Creek Clinic in North Caicos, and the Middle Caicos Clinic, are now equipped to significantly reduce their carbon footprint, particularly on sun-drenched days.”
Installed by local solar provider Green Revolution Ltd., the three clinics are also equipped with battery storage to store excess electricity generated during sunny hours for use at night or during cloudy periods.
The Hon. Kyle Knowles commented that it was through a shared vision that commissioning at the three sites was realized. “Partnerships of this nature are important as it speaks to the resilience of Turks and Caicos in tapping into the renewable energy sector. Therefore, this timely investment will benefit the clinics across the islands , and we look forward to the future expansion”, he said.
“This transition in our energy consumption from
fossil fuels to a cleaner and greener energy source not only helps with energy cost savings for the Government, but underscores our commitment to a more sustainable future for the Islands,” said the Hon. Mr. Malcolm. “I am pleased to say that the South Caicos Clinic and the Wellness Center in Grand Turk will also have solar PVs and batteries installed under this program.”
Also in attendance for the commissioning were
officials from the Ministry of Public Safety and Utilities including Deputy Permanent Secretary TeAnn Thomas; the Department of Health, Primary Health Care Manager Ms. Alrisa M. Gardiner; the Department of Environment and Coastal Resources (DECR), Asst. Director Dewandre Smith; and the Energy and Utilities Department, Dr. Eric F. Salamanca.
For the Turks and Caicos Islands, this groundbreaking project represents a major step on the path to a clean, renewable energy future. The project is made possible through the support of the Resilience, Sustainable Energy and Marine Biodiversity (RESEMBID) programme. RESEMBID is a 47-project progamme funded by the European Union and implemented by Expertise France - the development cooperation agency of the Government of France, and supports sustainable human development efforts in 12 Caribbean Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) - Aruba, Anguilla, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Curaçao, Montserrat, Saba, Sint Eustatius, Saint Barthélemy, Sint Maarten, and Turks and Caicos Islands.
HON JAMELL ROBINSON
MINISTER KYLE KNOWLES
TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS GOVERNMENT
AND UTILITIES DEPARTMENT
TURKS AND CAICOS ISLAND’S GOVERNMENT ENGAGES RENEWABLE ENERGY EXPERTS POWER ADVISORY ON RENEWABLE ENERGY BILL
June 27, 2024, Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands – The Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCIG) is pleased to advise that it has engaged independent consultants Power Advisory LLC to assist in bringing the Turks and Caicos Islands’ Renewable Energy and Resource Planning Bill(RE Bill) into law.
Led by the Energy and Utilities Department under the leadership of Commissioner Delano Arthur, the TCIG, along with the support of Power Advisory, will engage in a comprehensive consultation program over the next two months with key stakeholders to the RE Bill including residents of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), the country’s electricity utility, independent power producers and other parties.
“We are very pleased to have partnered with Power Advisory”, explained Commissioner Arthur. “Their team brings extensive experience and expertise to the table, and their support will be instrumental in ensuring the final RE Bill considers and is reflective of the perspectives of all key stakeholders in the energy sector here in
ARTHUR, EUD COMMISSIONER TCI.”
The Renewable Energy and Resource Planning Bill intends to provide a structured framework for renewable energy systems including licensing and interconnection, as well as the development of integrated resource planning for the Energy sector in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Power Advisory LLC is an electricity sectorfocused management consulting firm that specializes in energy market analysis and strategy, power procurement, policy development, regulatory and litigation support, market design, and project development and feasibility assessment. More information may be found at the company’s website: www.poweradvisoryllc. com
“We will be sharing a great deal more information on the RE Bill and upcoming opportunities for learning and providing perspectives in the near future,” added Mr. Arthur. “Please stay tuned to media in the days and weeks ahead for details on ways to engage in this important work.”
There will be a ten-week consultation period for the RE Bill, which commences on the 1st July, 2024 and concludes on the 8th September, 2024. The full text of the RE Bill can be found on The Energy and Utilities Department’s website at www.gov.tc/eud. Questions and comments concerning the RE Bill or this statement can be sent to eud@gov.tc.
DELANO
TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS GOVERNMENT
ENERGY AND UTILITIES DEPARTMENT
TCI GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF OFFSHORE WIND ENERGY FEASIBILITY STUDY
July 1, 2024, Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands – The Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands is pleased to announce the launch of the muchanticipated feasibility study for clean, renewable offshore wind energy in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI).
A true pioneering initiative led by the TCI Government’s Energy and Utilities Department, the study will be conducted under the European Union-funded Green Overseas Programme, which is implemented by Expertise France, and in partnership with contractor RICARDO-AEA LIMITED, an ISOcertified global consultancy that delivers strategic, environmental and engineering solutions.
“This exciting project will assess the feasibility of fixed and floating offshore wind energy farms in the waters surrounding Turks and Caicos Islands,” stated Mr. Delano Arthur, Commissioner of TCIG’s Energy and Utilities Department. “The vast and varied waters surrounding our Islands offer great potential for clean, reliable energy generation, boosting renewable energy production while enabling TCI’s limited land availability to be used for other development.”
The study will look at the feasibility of two options for offshore development: fixed offshore wind in the south and southwest of Providenciales Island in shallow waters of 2.5 to 4 metres in depth, and floating offshore wind located
north of Providenciales Island in deeper waters of up to 1,000 metres. This comprehensive evaluation aims to identify the most viable options to harness the vast wind resources of the region’s waters. Further, the study will recommend potential development timelines from 2025 to 2040.
A major component of this feasibility study is understanding the environmental aspect, which is crucial to assessing the potential impacts on marine ecosystems, wildlife and coastal environments. RICARDO-AEA LIMITED will conduct environmental feasibility to understand how offshore wind installations might affect local biodiversity.
“Among the challenges the feasibility study will examine are wind resilience to hurricanes and other storm activity,” added Commissioner Arthur. “This project not only represents a commitment to clean energy but also aligns with global efforts to combat climate change and promote sustainable development.”
The feasibility study is in alignment with and supports TCI Vision 2040 and the National Energy Policy. It also aligns with the Paris Agreement and UN SDG No. 7.
DELANO ARTHUR, EUD COMMISSIONER
US-based TCIslanders active in illegal gun trade – police reveals
BY OLIVIA ROSE
Individuals from the Turks and Caicos Islands residing in the US are actively involved in the illicit gun pipeline.
Commissioner of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force, Mr Edvin Martin recently revealed that these individuals are “part of the apparatus of sending firearms” to the Turks and Caicos Islands.
A river of illegal guns flowing from the United States to the Turks and Caicos Islands and other parts of the Caribbean has spurred the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force to forge and strengthen robust alliances with international partners to stem the influx of weapons and dismantle the criminal networks fuelling the violence.
Like many other Caribbean nations, the TCI is suffering from sharp increases in gang and gun violence and is pushing back against a tide of illegal firearms, primarily sourced from the US.
Speaking to members of the local media recently, Commissioner Martin painted a grim picture of the situation.
He said: “The vast majority of illegal firearms entering the Caribbean space seems to be disproportionately coming from the US,” Martin declared.
He further elucidated the complex dynamics of the trade, revealing that individuals from the Turks and Caicos Islands residing in the US are actively involved in the illicit gun pipeline.
“To a large extent, a lot of the weapons that are arriving in the Caribbean region are actually being perpetrated by individuals who are from the respective domestic states and sending them out as well,” he revealed.
“So not that the United States is just sending weapons to us, but it is believed as well, that there are persons from our states[islands] who reside there that are part of the apparatus of sending firearms to us and causing the significant evil that it is causing us.”
The Commissioner also acknowledged the challenges faced by law enforcement in keeping pace with the evolving criminal landscape.
“As it relates to the issues of capacity, I do believe and I have said in more than one forum, that the issue of criminality in the largest extent have gone ahead and left us a bit behind in my opinion,” Martin admitted.
He outlined the police force’s ongoing efforts to enhance its capabilities through training, resource development, and manpower recruitment.
Martin said: “So what we are trying to do now as a police force is to build capacity within the force through training, the development of resources modes, vehicular, mechanical, as well as manpower resources, to be able to combat the situations that we are approaching at this point in time.”
INTERNATIONAL & REGIONAL COLLABORATION
Also speaking to the issue, the Head of Crime, Safeguarding and Public Protection in the RTCIPF Superintendent Dean Holden, provided insights into the collaborative efforts to address the firearms issue.
“So first of all, we are working in partnership with quite a lot of international partners, not least the Homeland Security Investigations, FBI and also ATF Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms in the US,” Holden explained.
Holden also offered a nuanced perspective on the scale of the problem.
He said: “Routinely what we’ve seen from our ballistic inquiries is that the same firearms are often being used across different offenses.
“So that’s the one scenario where individuals are committing a lot of fences or what is more likely to be the case is that that firearm is almost like a pool firearm that’s been used by a number of different offenders.”
Holden emphasised the importance of international cooperation in tackling the issue.
“The Turks and Caicos is a part of Interpol…so obviously Interpol is international but also we’re
working in collaboration with our regional partners, so there’s quite a lot of work there.”
He highlighted successful collaborations with agencies like Homeland Security Investigations, leading to significant investigations and prosecutions.
“We have had some significant success, particularly with Homeland Security Investigations who now have quite a comprehensive investigation in Florida around an individual who we know was providing firearms to the TCI, we’ve handed that investigation over to them primarily because they have privacy in terms of the judiciary but again, we’ve provided quite a lot of support around that.
“The other thing that we are doing as well it should be mentioned sometimes often forget is we have quite a comprehensive approach to financial investigations, so even though we might not see as many firearms as we’d want, when we can prove some level of criminality we can use the proceeds of crime ordinance quite effectively, again to attack the threat from a different angle,” Holden explained.
Commissioner Martin underscored the role of regional partnerships in combating the illegal firearms trade. “I want to indicate that from a CARICOM IMPACS position… the Caribbean Crime Gun Intelligence Unit…and the regional security system that is looking at addressing the issue of illegal firearms, partnership in that respect is extensive because we partner with Homeland Security, we partner with a number of US agencies to try to address this specific issue as it relates to firearms within the region.”
Martin concluded by emphasising the need for community engagement and
information sharing.
“What we do need is a greater flow of information from the community with the way they perceive issues to be existing,” he urged.
“Because I do believe that to a large extent, the community knows who is the problem, where is the problem, and what can be done to address the problem.
“The problem that we are having is that we are not getting that information, for whatever reason, and I’m hoping that we can bridge that disconnect so that we can move to the position of a higher level of success rate in treating with these situations.”
In 2021, the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agreed to a partnership by signing a
memorandum of understanding to allow the RTCIPF to use the ATF Electronic Tracing System. The MOU was signed by the Acting Commissioner of Police Kendall Grant and the Chief of ATF International Affairs Division Joshua M. Rusk as part of a mutual commitment for both agencies to share information relating to firearm offenses.
Through this bilateral cooperation, members of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force are able to submit firearm traces to the ATF National Tracing Centre and receive firearm trace results immediately via the system as part of efforts to curb illicit firearms trade in the region.
The Turks and Caicos Islands’ ongoing struggle with illegal firearms underscores the complexity of transnational crime.
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Commissioner of Police Mr Edvin Martin
Superintendent of Police Dean Holden
TCI’S GANG PROBLEM
The Turks and Caicos Islands are facing a growing problem with gang violence. The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force has identified 14 organised criminal groups, but authorities believe there are more.
These gangs, composed primarily of young men between the ages of 18 and 26, are involved in drug trafficking, gun violence, and territorial disputes. The police have implemented Operation Reclaim to combat gang activity, and are working with community groups and schools to address the root causes of gang involvement. The territory has also enacted the Anti-Gang Bill 2022, which makes it a criminal offense to be involved in gang activities. Despite these efforts, crime is on the rise. What are your thoughts?
The great motivator
Money is the great motivator. Offer enough of a monetary reward for information that leads to the apprehension and incarceration of gang members that will outweigh the fear of repercussions. Make sure the Police protect the ID of the informant as long as possible.
Covid turned the world upside down
The Covid-19 Pandemic, resulted in more than economic ramifications, it changed the perspective of many at the global level, including those in organised crime. TCI was no different.
Crime in the TCI has definitely increased since Covid. Gangs are the new world order in the region. From Venezuela and Trinidad all the way to the Bahamas. Organised crime is on the rise.
We need support
This is one of the components of our society, which is leading to our collapse. The UK has been very successful at defeating armed gangs for decades. The Governor has access to that knowledge and the resources needed. It is against the interests of the UK and the USA to allow the TCI to break. Let’s hope she gets out of bed one morning and
in the light of “organised-gang activity. Recently, there is a new trend emerging with youth of all shapes and sizes, most of whom come from “homeless-backgrounds” and “fatherless-families”.
This is a ‘new social animal ‘for the Islands because while there may have been single parents who did well in the past, the difference is that many of the youth are abandoned offspring of illegal migrants and the TCI is not in any way any capable of coping with that evolving phenomenon.
It presents a serious challenge to law enforcement and social service agencies. What’s most glaring is that the Government is in no way able and capable of coping with these “exceptional issues”. Most certainly the Premier and his erstwhile Minister Responsible for Social Services have yet to announce a comprehensive policy regime “equal to” or even “near the problem”.
The finding that there are 14 organised gangs in 2024 is really “sleeping on the job”. For the past 25 years, there have been unofficial and otherwise reports that Organised Militia occupy certain strategic parts of the country and they have literal footholds on the country.
A Weekly News column that puts you on the spot for your opinions on the issues of the day
streets and engaging in a more appropriate tone, uncontrolled groups of persons engaging in serious crimes of robberies, murders and the like.
A strange comparison to be made but the similarities are “temptingly similar” There is even a provision for a gang leader and not to be biased, these definitions could apply equally to the PDM and PNP political organisations.
Where the definitions are taken and “interpreted widely”, there could be a ban, as the law provides, a ban on political parties recruiting new members, which is a core function of political parties.
One could poke humour at these suggestions but it explains and underscores the inability of the then Governor, police commissioner, the Premier, minister of finance, key and core members of the National Security Council (NSC) to make and formulate anti-gang and law enforcement policy when the Antic Gang Bill was being planned.
takes the necessary steps. The new law on intelligence gathering was a good first step.
Haiti’s gang warfare spills over
The effects in Haiti with their gang violence seemingly have created ripple effects in the TCI. By no means are all the gangs Haitians, but they are part of many gangs and the conflict with gangs from other countries and those from the TCI are cause for concern.
The gangs play by different rules and they don’t see the border the way we see it. From Venezuela and Trinidad to the Bahamas, gangs are fighting for turf.
A complete lack of awareness
Since the “return of the Constitution” in 2012, the TCI has been confronted with tremendous political, constitutional and social headwinds. Transnational problems emerge here with successive Governors ‘promulgating’ a post–Turks and Caicos era and empowering other nationalities at the expense of the TCI. Time does not permit and these are issues that took the last two Post Interim Administration, 2009-12 governments down, impacting equally PNP and PDM.
The results are ominous because the country is feeling the impacts today and
The 18-26 year old demographic presents a critical challenge to the situation. It means that the next generation will be one where chaos can literally reign as in Haiti, where there is “no law and order”. Basically, to the Commissioner of Police, the Premier and National Security Council, “you guys really don’t know what you’re dealing with”.
This applies to the elected government which seems equally “clueless on the issue”. Anti-Gang legislation opens a new dimension of policing policy that is quite obviously “not well thought out”. TCI could now be a candidate to be another failed state.
What then is a gang?
It seems that this government in passing the Anti-Gang Legislation may have ensnared itself into a legal tautology and a “law open to many interpretations”. The language is “circular” and could be applied to any would-be political organisation. The 2022 Anti-Gang Law defines a gang as a ‘combination of two or more persons, whether formally or informally organised, who engage in gang-related activity.’
The law then defines “gang-related activity” as the planned, ongoing, continuous or repeated participation or involvement in any serious offence.” Well, what a tangled web we weave? Are we talking about the “boys on the street” “armed militia” or political parties that routinely flout the law?
The provisions are not specific enough nor properly drawn because this PNP government or any other party for that matter, could be caught in the trap of a wide definition of gangs. In 2009, The Sir Robin Auld Commission of Enquiry condemned the corrupt practices of the PNP government 2003-2009. Impacts on the country and constitutional order were far more severe than any group of persons, marauding the
This lack of policy competence is central to the inability of the NSC and Law enforcement entities in combatting crime in the TCI. They are fully detached and separated from reality.
Policy drift
It seems that these proposals are coming from a “vacuum in the TCI and there is a policy void”. Reason is that there is not in place a comprehensive crime-fighting project which involves the public, the PDM Opposition, civic groups, law enforcement agencies and the police (a “genuine social summit”).
These public-spirited stakeholders are critical to the formulation of crime policy and how to combat gangs. There is a ‘critical -disconnect’ with reality. Gangs are “families away from families” where young men gather because there is no mother, father or central figure in their lives. Young people are routinely recruited from primary school age, high schools and ushered into a life of crime as there is no ‘family or father figure -at --home’.
There is ‘no one’ to provide guidance, nurturing and leadership. A properly planned summit would galvanise ideas, proposals and information from the public on disaffected youths and how to deal with them in the TCI. There must be a way to address the broken home and its destruction which has contributed to the problem.
Four Chevening scholarships awarded to TCI
Four scholars from the Turks and Caicos Islands have been awarded Chevening Scholarships to pursue their master’s degrees in the UK for the academic year 2024-2025, the Governor’s Office announced this week.
The four are Thadine Crossman MSc Occupational Safety, Health and Environment; Dodly Prosper MSc Biodiversity and Conservation;
Royshana Robinson MSc Forensic Toxicology and Ashley Williams MSc Project Management.
This is the first time the Turks and Caicos Islands will have four Chevening Scholars within the same academic year.
It is also commendable to note that Robinson is the top-ranking scholar from across the Overseas Territories.
Fathers and leaders who abandon children are a critical part of the problem. It is no use following esoteric, “highly academic United Nations Guidelines” on the formulation of social policy for the TCI. Totally unrealistic goalposts. There should be a lesson plan in the school system, properly developed so that certain behaviours such as bullying and ‘gangrelated gatherings’ could be ‘weeded out from infancy’. It is when realities, social and school policy merge with government “priorities” that ‘something realistic’ could be done about the situation.
A change in thinking needed
Combatting crime and ‘gang-related activity’ amongst the youth requires a total cultural and seismic change in thinking. Regional and global policy cannot work in this situation because TCI is unique unto itself. It is one of the few countries, if any, totally taken by an invasion of migrants, legal and illegal.
HE Governor, Dileeni DanielSelvaratnam, said, “It is with immense pride that I extend my heartfelt congratulations to our four outstanding Scholars on being awarded the prestigious Chevening Scholarship. With dynamic skills and experiences across environmental protection, forensic science, public health, project delivery and leadership, they are
There’s the ongoing debate surrounding Grace Bay and its function in taking the wealth of the land unto itself, leaving very little for the rest. Pockets of poverty and despair set in. Even though there is money in the budget, money brought over from last year’s budget, in the regions of $60m thru $80m. Very little of it is allocated to schools and the reformulation of social policy and impacts on the youth. It is largely because the Ministry of Social Services and Education are both devoid of policy, owing to the social separation of policy from reality.
Financial resources in the minds of ministers are ‘better -deployed” to paying for odious debt, the unaccountable hospital scheme, endless SIPT trials, and huge salaries for the Premier and ministers, while diverting resources to fighting crime ‘runs- amok’ and there is little left behind to deal with the actual problem. With the public fully engaged on these issues, ministers would not be so free to do as they like on budgeting and formulating crime policy.
a demonstration of our youth’s passion, vision and commitment to strengthening the future of these Islands. I hope their success as Chevening Scholars inspires others to achieve their full potential and contribute to the collective progress of the Turks and Caicos Islands.”
Chevening Scholarships are awarded to outstanding emerging leaders from all backgrounds and
A proper assessment
Events leading to the Passage of the AntiGang Law 2022 and thereafter needs to be properly assessed by the government, stakeholders and all those concerned. With such assessment, Premier, Hon Washington Misick and the Leader of the Opposition, Hon Edwin Astwood, need to ‘sit in the same room’, occupy the same ‘policy space’ and formulate where and how to ‘attack this crime issue”.
The Premier, his Ministers and the National Security Council must now realise that they cannot do it alone. Just when the Leader of the Opposition in 2022, warned the government that they ought not to enact such a sweeping Firearms amendment law, with sweeping mandatory 12-year penalties, they didn’t listen and over the past three months the country suffered untold damage from the fallout, they must listen now.
You “cannot do this alone”. The PNP government and law enforcement agencies must meet with the PDM Opposition,
areas of study who can demonstrate that they have the commitment and skills to create positive change in their country. The scholarship offers full financial support for scholars to study for any eligible master’s degree at over 150 UK universities whilst also gaining access to a wide range of exclusive academic, professional and cultural experiences.
the public and devise a plan to ‘capture the youth- ‘away from crime and deviant behaviour’. This conference can also set an agenda, and terms of reference for assessing the effectiveness of the AntiGang Ordinance 2022. It will require a reassessment of national and fiscal priorities such as salaries, the adequacy of certain income thresholds and the inability of persons to make ends meet on paltry incomes. All of these issues lead to broken families and crime. The sweeping broad-stroke approach taken by the Anti-Gang Ordinance 2022 again needs to be assessed for “effectiveness” after two years. With 14 gangs and maybe more, what ‘effectiveness’ has the law had in ‘policing’ gang activity? That again requires critical assessment.
With the finding that there are gangs “composed primarily of young men between 18 and 26, are involved in drug trafficking, gun violence, and territorial disputes”, there is a problem “bigger than the government and the police. Reading the Anti-Gang Ordinance -2022, there is a realisation that none of the ‘powers that be’ are aware of this “reality”.
Thadine Crossman
Royshana Robinson
Ashley Williams
Dodly Prosper
Trinidadian Judge selected for second SIPT trial
BY DELANA ISLES
Justice Rajendra Narine, a native of Trinidad and Tobago, and former judge of the Barbados Court of Appeal has been appointed to preside over the retrial of former Premier of the TCI, Michael Misick, McAllister Hanchell and Chalmers Misick.
On Friday, June 28, Press Officer in the Governor’s Office, Lamario Taylor confirmed the news, stating that indeed, Justice Narine has been appointed, although no date was given when he will take up the appointment, reports are that he will sit as an Ad Hoc Judge of the Supreme Court of the TCI as of July 8.
Taylor advised that a press statement on the appointment, and other relevant details will be sent out in due course.
There is no news as to when the new trial is set to begin.
When the long-awaited trial begins, the Misick brothers and Hanchell will answer charges of bribery, conspiracy to defraud and money laundering.
In June 2023, they were all set to enter their pleas to the charges against them, but that was put off until the appointment of the new judge.
Justice Narine most recently retired from the Barbados Court of Appeal this past April, where he served from 2019.
Prior to his appointment to the Barbadian Appellate Court, Justice Narine was a Judge of the High Court of Trinidad and Tobago between 1997 and 2009 and following that served as an Appellate Judge from 2009 to 2019,
to the Turks and Caicos Islands Supreme Court
again in Trinidad and Tobago.
Justice Narine became a Puisne Judge in 1997. He joined the Bench directly from private practice as an Attorney with the law firm, Alvin Fitzpatrick and Co., where he served for 13 years from 1984. Twelve years of service on the Bench of the High Court, Justice Rajendra Narine was appointed Justice of Appeal on September 16, 2009.
Justice Narine is a former student of St George’s College, Barataria. He obtained his LLB from Cave Hill, Barbados, in 1982, and his Legal Education Certificate from the Hugh Wooding Law School in St Augustine in 1984.
CHARGES
Count One on the indictment, a bribery charge, states: “Michael Eugene Misick, between the 1st day of June 2004 and the 31st
day of March 2007, accepted inducements directly or indirectly on behalf of the Beaches Group (including Gordon Arthur Stewart) by unlawful corrupt payments or other rewards (in the form of cash, credit, entertainment and other advantages), whilst serving as a Minister of the Crown in the Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands so that he would act in a way that was contrary to the ordinary rules of honesty and integrity expected of Ministers of the Crown.”
A second bribery charge outlines: “Michael Eugene Misick and McAllister Eugene Hanchell, between the 1st January 2005 and the 30th day of January 2009, accepted inducements directly or indirectly from Mario Hoffman and/or related and connected entities, by unlawful corrupt payments or other rewards (in the
Attempted robbery leaves protective brother dead and family grief-stricken
A Millennium Heights family is mourning the tragic shooting death of a beloved brother, son and father, 31-year-old Louis Beliare.
Details of the horrific crime as revealed by police are that on Tuesday, July 2, at about 10:43pm, a woman had just returned home when five men, dressed in all black and armed accosted her and attempted to rob her of her money and possessions.
Superintendent Dean Holden, the Royal TCI Police Force’s Head of Crime, Safeguarding, Public Protection and Intelligence Unit, said that based on preliminary investigations, the woman raised an alarm.
Holden added: “A male relative, upon hearing the screams, rushed outside to assist and was shot by the criminals, who ran off.
Reports are that the brother fought with the bandits before he was shot multiple times. He eventually succumbed to the gunshot wounds and when police arrived at the crime scene, Beliare was already dead.
Holden said an all-points bulletin was issued, and officers immediately responded.
On behalf of the RTCIPF, Holden extended condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.
He promised: “We are working diligently to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice.
“I urge the public to pay attention and share our Wanted Posters.”
He said police are committed to eradicating the use of illegal firearms on the island, as such if anyone sees something, they ought to say something as together, as
form of cash, credit, entertainment and other advantages), whilst serving as a Minister of the Crown in the Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands so that he would act in a way that was contrary to the ordinary rules of honesty and integrity expected of Ministers of the Crown.”
A third bribery charge alleges: “Michael Eugene Misick and McAllister Eugene Hanchell, between the 1st day of November 2006 and the 1st day of May 2008, accepted inducements directly or indirectly from the Logwood Development Company and related and connected entities (including Harold Charles, Alan Lisenby, Matt McDonald and Scott Boatman) by unlawful corrupt payments or other rewards (in the form of cash, credit, entertainment and other advantages), whilst serving as a Minister of the Crown in the Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands so that he would act in a way that was contrary to the ordinary rules of honesty and integrity expected of Ministers of the Crown.”
Count four, conspiracy to defraud, states: “McAllister Eugene Hanchell and Thomas Chalmers Misick, between the 1st day of January 2006 and the 31st day of December 2008, conspired together and with Michael Eugene Misick and to defraud the Crown, the Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands and/or the Belongers, by arranging the transfer of Crown Land at West
Caicos on terms that were contrary to the economic interests of the Crown, the said Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands and/or the said Belongers.”
Count five, concealing or disguising the proceeds of criminal conduct contrary to section 30 (2)(a) of the Proceeds of Crime Ordinance 1998, states: “Thomas Chalmers Misick, between the 1st day of August 2003 and the 31st day of August 2009, concealed or disguised the proceeds of criminal conduct knowing or having reasonable grounds for suspecting it to represent in whole or in part directly or indirectly the proceeds of criminal conduct committed by Michael Eugene Misick, with a view to avoiding the making or enforcement of a confiscation order or avoiding prosecution for unlawful conduct.”
Count six, another charge of concealing or disguising the proceeds of criminal conduct contrary to section 30(2)(a) of the Proceeds of Crime Act 1998, states: “Thomas Chalmers Misick, between the 1st day of August 2003 and the 31st day of August 2009, concealed or disguised the proceeds of criminal conduct knowing or having reasonable grounds for suspecting it to represent in whole or in part directly or indirectly the proceeds of criminal conduct committed by McAllister Eugene Hanchell, with a view to avoiding the making or enforcement of a confiscation order or avoiding prosecution for unlawful conduct.”
a community “we can make a difference”.
The murder is the twenty-second one for the year so far, marking an incredibly steep rise in the murder rate for this second quarter of the year, as well as the overall murder rate when compared to 2023 figures.
Last December, the territory recorded 23 murders for the year, which was 30.3 per cent less than in 2022.
Police are calling on members of the public who may have information in relation to the robbery-murder to contact the closest police station, 911, the Serious Crime Unit at 2311842, Crime Stoppers at 1-8008477 or the Crime Stoppers P3 app to provide any information anonymously. (DELANA ISLES)
Starmer is next UK Prime Minister
The Labour Party has secured a landslide victory in the UK election to end 14 years of Conservative rule.
Keir Starmer, the Labour leader and next Prime Minister expressed appreciation in his victory speech on Friday.
“We did it! “Change begins now.”
Outgoing Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak conceded defeat, saying it has been a “difficult night”. Up to press-time, Labour had won 409 seats with the Conservatives having won 114. There are 650 seats in the House of Commons – the lower house of Britain’s parliament.
Justice Rajendra Narine was appointed for a two-year stint
Keir Starmer will be the next Prime Minister
Former airport boss and two others slapped with 13 corruption charges
BY DELANA ISLES
Former Chief Executive Officer of the TCI Airport Authority, John Smith along with his then CFO, Kenneth Abrams and businessman Alonzo Malcolm, is at the centre of a massive corruption scheme spanning years and four of TCI’s airports.
Smith, a native of Grand Turk who ended a 12 plus year career at the Airport Authority in June 2020, along with Abrams and Malcolm appeared before Chief Magistrate Jolyon Hatmin on Tuesday, July 2 and was officially charged with thirteen offences.
Smith was granted $200,000 bail, Abrams $75,000 and Malcolm $50,000. They are set to return to court for a sufficiency hearing in the Supreme Court on October 4.
Attorney Lara Maroof-Misick appeared on Smith’s behalf, while King’s Counsel Oliver Smith represented Abrams and attorney Khamaal Collymore for Malcolm.
Crown Counsel Enjaleek Dickenson appeared on behalf of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The trio are accused of being involved in a conspiracy to award contracts in connection with the airports in Providenciales, Grand Turk, as well as North and South Caicos.
CHARGES
The prosecution is alleging that between January 2014 and December 2018, Smith, while serving as CEO of the TCIAA willfully abused the public trust of his office by dishonestly seeking and procuring a contract for the repair of security fencing at Grand Turk Airport in breach of the applicable statutory and regulatory framework on the procurement of public works.
A second charge outlined that between January 2014 and July 2020, CEO Smith once again willfully abused his office by dishonestly seeking and procuring a contract for the development of the South Caicos Airport in breach of the statutory and regulatory framework on the procurement of public works.
A third offence claimed that Smith, between October 2013 and July 2020, while acting as an ex officio Director on the TCIAA Board of Directors, failed to disclose his pecuniary interest in the proposed contract between LEDIG and the TCIAA, and was present at Board meetings at which time he took part in discussions on the award of the contract.
A fourth charge named Smith once again, alleging that between October 2013 and July 2020, he omitted to perform his duties owed to a public body, namely the TCIAA, by failing to adhere to the procurement procedures in his consideration and acceptance of a contract between LEDIG Limited and TCIAA, and also failed to disclose his personal interest in the contract, for the purpose of obtaining a benefit for himself and or another person, Robert Koenig.
A fifth charge accuses Smith of failing to comply with the provisions of the Public Procurement Ordinance in consideration of the proposed contract with LEDIG Limited between October 2013 and July 2020, while he was CEO of the TCIAA.
Smith is also charged with knowingly or recklessly allowing his private interest in TVED Limited and his relationship with Edward Bronson to improperly influence his conduct in the performance of his duties as a public official between April 2018 and July 2020, by improperly procuring and trying to arrange a contract for the development of the North Caicos Airport, without disclosing his personal interest in TVED Limited and without adhering to the procurement procedures.
The Prosecution also alleges that between January 2014 and July 2020, while he was the Chief Executive Officer of the Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority, Smith dishonestly awarded concessions to Secure Wrap, Turks Treats and JAC’s Cyber Cafe in a way that breached the statutory and regulatory framework of the Airports Authority.
In a joint charge, Smith, Abrams and Robert Koenig, are alleged to have conspired together with Al Gutman between October 2013 and March 31, 2022, to defraud the TCIAA by dishonestly procuring and arranging a contract between TCIAA and LEDIG Limited without adhering to procurement procedures and failing to disclose their private interest in LEDIG Limited.
In another joint charge Smith and Abrams are accused of conspiring together to defraud Carlton Higgs, the owner of Oasis Sky Lounge between October 2013 and December 2019, by dishonestly arranging the credit of sales from Oasis Sky Lounge to an account owned and or controlled by Smith and or Abrams, without Higgs’ knowledge and or consent.
In another charge Smith, Alonzo
Malcolm and Edward Bronson are accused of conspiring together between October 2013 and July 2020, to defraud the TCIAA and the Turks and Caicos Islands Government by dishonestly procuring and arranging a contract for the development of North Caicos Airport on terms that were contrary to the economic interests of both the TCIAA and TCIG.
In a separate charge, Kenneth Abrams - while acting as the Chief Financial Officer of the TCIAA between January 2014 and December 31, 2018 - is accused of willfully abusing his public office by dishonestly seeking and procuring a contract for the repair of security fencing at Grand Turk International Airport in breach of the statutory and regulatory framework on the procurement of
public works.
In another charge against him, Abrams, between January 2014 and December 2020, once again abused the public trust of his office by dishonestly seeking and procuring a contract for the development of South Caicos Airport in breach of the statutory and regulatory framework on the procurement of public works.
A final charge names Abrams, alleging that between October 2013 and March 2022, he knowingly or recklessly allowed his private interest in LEDIG and his personal relationship with Robert Koenig to improperly influence his conduct in the performance of his duties as the CFO of the TCIAA, by failing to declare his interest in the proposed contract and or contract between LEDIG Limited and the TCIAA.
Suspected double homicide: victims still unidentified
It is now more than a week since police recovered the bodies of two men along a track located off Snake Hill in the Blue Hills community, riddled with gunshot wounds.
They are yet to identify or reveal the identities of the two John Does.
Police reported that on June 28, at about 8am, the 911 centre received a call reporting the discovery of two lifeless bodies in the Snake Hill area.
Upon attending the scene,
officers confirmed that the two individuals were deceased, and an initial investigation revealed that they had died as a result of gunshot wounds.
The first John Doe is reported to be dark complected and has a low haircut with a single dreadlock at the back of his head.
Police said he was found wearing grey boxers and white socks.
The second John Doe is also dark in complexion, sports a
dreadlock hairstyle, and was found wearing a black vest, long black pants and blue short pants, with green and black sneakers on his feet.
Police are calling on anyone with information that may help in their investigation of the suspected double murder to contact the closest police station, 911, the Serious Crime Unit at 231-1842, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-8477 or on the Crime Stoppers P3 app to provide any information anonymously.
John Smith, former TCIAA CEO
Kenneth Abrams, former TCIAA Chief Financial Officer
Alonzo Malcolm, local entrepreneur
Ask the question: who is my neighbour?
Loving your neighbour is not a novel concept. In fact, it has been a cornerstone of moral and spiritual teachings for centuries. Jesus succinctly summarised the message of compassion and care for others in Matthew 22:39, where he emphasised, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” This timeless commandment calls us to extend the same level of care and attention to others as we do to ourselves, marking the essence of being a true neighbour.
ASKING THE QUESTION: WHO IS MY NEIGHBOUR?
In the pursuit of understanding and embodying the essence of this commandment, we encounter a pivotal question, “Who is my neighbour?” As illustrated in the text, a lawyer posed this question to Jesus, not with a sincere desire to learn but to justify his lack of love and evade the responsibility associated with this divine mandate. Nevertheless, it remains essential for us to address this fundamental query genuinely and earnestly. The act of asking this question is the first step towards embracing the commandment to love our neighbours. Without clarity on who our neighbours are, we cannot effectively fulfil this calling. We
KENYATTA E. LEWIS
Kenyatta Lewis is the pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel, a growing church committed to taking followers of Jesus deeper and going further in their faith. Besides loving, serving, and helping people he has watched the extended Director’s cut of the Lord of the Rings trilogy multiple times.
must take care not to ask in the manner of the insincere lawyer but with the intention of better understanding and serving those around us.
IDENTIFYING YOUR NEIGHBOURS: A PRACTICAL APPROACH
Once we’ve posed the question, the next step is identifying our neighbours. This is best achieved by simply looking around us. Our neighbours are the individuals who live near us, work alongside us, share common activities, or frequent the same places. It’s important to recognise that our neighbours are those who are geographically close and those we interact with regularly.
Regrettably, we sometimes display more love and compassion to those far away, such as the starving or exploited worldwide, while neglecting those close by.
To cultivate genuine and practical love, we must start by looking around and acknowledging the people in our immediate surroundings.
BLESSING YOUR NEIGHBOURS: THE B.L.E.S.S. APPROACH
To love our neighbours effectively, the B.L.E.S.S. acronym provides a clear framework:
B - Begin to pray for them: Prayer is essential to love. It connects us with God and allows us to ask for guidance in our interactions with our neighbours. We can pray for opportunities to speak with them and the courage to follow through.
L - Listen carefully to them: Actively listening to our neighbours is crucial. We should pay attention to what they say and don’t say, showing a genuine interest in their lives.
E - Engage them: Create opportunities to spend time with your neighbours. Engagement fosters meaningful connections, whether over a meal or a shared activity.
S - Serve and support them: Be ready to provide assistance in moments of need. This may include offering help after surgery, during a bereavement, or in times of crisis.
S - Share the gospel with them: Sharing your faith, when appropriate, can be a powerful expression of love. While it need not be immediate, the ultimate goal should be to convey the transformative impact of your
beliefs.
BE A NEIGHBOUR: EMBRACING THE GOOD SAMARITAN’S LESSON
Finally, as we contemplate the essence of loving our neighbours, we must also aspire to be neighbours. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus not only elucidated who a neighbour is but urged us to become one. He emphasized the importance of showing mercy and kindness to others, echoing the same love we would want in return.
In essence, loving your neighbour is a commandment that transcends time and remains as relevant today as it was when first spoken. By asking the fundamental question, identifying our neighbours, and embracing the B.L.E.S.S. approach, we can love and be neighbours to those around us. This, as Jesus taught, is the essence of eternal life.
YOU ARE LOVED.
Do not look behind you!
Do not get attached to the things of this world. God may be telling you to leave a place. Do what God says to do and do not look back. I want to remind you about Lot’s wife. God was about to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah and the angel told Lot and his family “Escape for your life! DO NOT LOOK BEHIND YOU nor stay anywhere on the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be destroyed” (Genesis 19:17).
BY DREXWELL
SEYMOUR
Drexwell Seymour is a certified public accountant and is the managing partner for HLB TCI. His favourite hobby, however, is writing. He has a personal website, www.drexwellseymour. com, where all of his writings are posted. He also has a YouTube channel where you can find inspirational videos. Drexwell has a BA in Accounting and an MBA in Finance.
While the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah was taking place, Lot’s wife looked back and she became a pillar of salt.
I do not know what your situation is but some of us are in a toxic environment and if you are not strong enough, you may end up becoming toxic. The best thing to do is to walk away. I know it is hard to walk away from something that you have spent so much time building up and investing in. However, you may end up losing it anyway so
sometimes it is best to go to a new place and start afresh and do not look back.
There are people in relationships that are hurting and being abused physically and mentally but they don’t want to leave because they think of the time and investment, they put in it. Have you ever considered that maybe you were never meant to be in that relationship? Get out and do not look back.
There are people that are keeping bad company and if you are someone that can easily be influenced, you may become just like the company you keep. Sooner or later, you may find yourself getting in trouble and possibly committing acts that are contrary to the law, resulting in legal issues. If you are that person, it is time to leave that bad company and do not look back. Find a place where you can
be uplifted and encouraged. You may find yourself living in a bad area like Sodom and Gomorrah. You may make a lot of money. You may be having a lot of fun. It is time to remove yourself from that area and not look back at all the possessions and fun you have. Think about the impact that environment will have on you and your family. Some of you may be on a job and you hate it with passion. If you do not like what you do, then you should not be there. No matter your salary or position, leave it and do not look back.
I know that God wants the best for us. Some of you can do better than what you are doing. However, you need to move from where you are to the place that God wants you to be. There is a better life for you. Leave the place you are in.
The rocky road of income inequality
The need for adjustment and policy reform
Economic inequality has festered into a global epidemic, which has, for centuries now, been overlooked by too many leaders across government capacities. And while the poor is gravely affected, the wealth of the rich keeps growing. This phenomenon is typical among people in different positions within the economic distribution, be it income, pay, or wealth and throughout history the affluent are the ones who have benefited.
Quite often, the individual’s economic position is mostly linked to the person’s gender, disability and ethnic background and sometimes, geographic location. While we validate the importance of these standards, we’ll focus on the gap between those who are well-off and those who are not, within the overall economic distribution.
The million-dollar question is –are you optimistic that we’ll ever get rid of the infamous income inequality mushroomed across the public institutions and private sector businesses? The surest
OCTOPEN
BY D MARKIE SPRING
answer to this important question is, no!
While the voting bloc depends on political leaders for reform – after centuries of inertia – personally, I am careful to insert Scripture into my daily thinking.
You may ask; how can I be so sure that nothing will change?
Well! Scripture assured us in Matthew 25:29, “For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.”
Aren’t we witnessing this misfortune right now? Therefore, if one is looking to governments to
fix this acute problem, don’t!
Resultantly, many rhetorical questions ensued. People often ask, who designed the flawed income disparity system? How does the worker, whose salary is 100k, receive housing allowance, when the minimum wage earner is struggling to pay her rent?
They ask further, why are highincome earners given vehicles and gas allowances, while the low-paid worker uses his struggling salary to pay transportation fees? And why are the opulent among us given employee discounts, when they can afford to pay, while the low-rate worker pays the full price?
These mishaps emanate from greedy politicians and CEOs alike, who designed the system to enrich themselves and interest groups, while their constituents and lowend workers remain poor and dependent on them for even the basic things for their survival.
With this wealth comes power and influence over those who are less fortunate. But there is a price to be paid. Again, I turn to Scripture for counselling and Jeremiah 22:13 says, “Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbour’s service without wages, and giveth him not for his work” (KJV)
Sadly, no leader has stepped up to correct this malpractice and
while many are advocating for redistribution of assets and wealth, which favour the poor by levying higher taxes on the rich, the TCI can overcome its share of inequality differently.
Therefore, we should press the government to take fiscal actions to correct the income disparity, institute a policy framework, which addresses income inequality and negotiate with private sector businesses to reform employee benefits favouring low-income earners.
The current income distribution, which governs the workplace, makes no sense and certainly, this is the precursor for widespread poverty and the challenges, which come with it.
The modern-day feminist
Alright, sis, we get it. You’re a strong, independent woman who takes crap from no one. Your bills are paid, and your boyfriend knows better than to push your buttons. You’re not married because it is a social construct that is no longer in your realm. You keep things casual and light_ Boys are just a tool and your career comes first. You pay for your own meals on dates and open your own doors. You even send yourself flowers, like Miley Cyrus. You jam out to Ariana Grande’s “God is a Woman” and Beyoncé’s “Run the World (Girls).” You change your own light bulbs and trim your own bushes because, hey, who needs a man anyway?
You’re not confined by your gender, and everyone knows it because you speak up. You passionately advocate for the most nuanced inequalities in our society and call out the absurdities of femininity and masculinity in language. All of
BY DAVIDSON LOUIS
Rachel Wolchin once said: “If we were meant to stay in one place, we’d have had roots instead of feet.” On this quest to self-discovery, TC Islander Davidson Louis vowed to travel, write, paint, laugh and forgive. Subsequently, he hopes to find himself and or, leave behind a few pieces of himself. Contact him at hello. octopen@tcinews.tc
this is valid, but hunny, you ain’t no suffragette. Here’s a light-hearted list highlighting some generational differences in feminist activism while acknowledging the evolving nature of the movement:
INSTAGRAM ACTIVISM:
Back in the day, feminists had to march for hours, facing beatings, jail time, and prosecution. They didn’t just post a selfie with hashtags to show their disdain for the colour pink and Kim Kardashian’s adult movie.
SAFE SPACES:
When needed a safe space, the true feminists just went to the women’s restroom to take a break. Now, you rent the ballroom at the Ritz for an annual Ladies’ Luncheon with the topic: “Keep your filthy paws off my silky drawers” or “We came to slay”.
MICRO-AGGRESSIONS:
The older feminists fought against blatant sexism and discrimination, battling for the right to be seen and heard. Now, you’re worried about someone calling you “sweetie” and how it affects your gender survival.
CANCEL CULTURE:
You cancel people with tweets; 60 years ago, they cancelled discrimination with sit-ins and lawsuits.
FEMINIST MERCH:
They wore slogan t-shirts too, but they were DIY with Sharpies and old shirts, not $50 designer tees.
TAKING CONTROL:
The older feminists had to convince men not to pinch their butts at work. Now, “female empowerment” is embodied by any boss-lady making her own dollars. Whichever way possible… if you know what I mean.
SELF-CARE:
Self-care was finding a moment to breathe between protests, work and minding a family. Now, it’s spa days, yoga retreats, girls’ nights out without male toxicity, and book clubs filled with roses and cucumber finger sandwiches.
Taking back control means making him wait and only texting back three days later after he took you out. Vindictive.
PRONOUNS:
The older generation fought for “Ms.” and equality in titles. Now, it’s all about listing your pronouns and self-identification. And heaven forbid someone calls you “Mrs.” when you’re a “Ms”— that’s a quick way to spark an uproar.
TECHNOLOGY:
You’re organising your rallies on social media? The previous generations had to rely on phone booths and mimeograph machines.
An ally, I am here for whatever makes you feel empowered. You lead, I follow. After all, you do run the world. Hi mom! Care to share?
Share your opinion here louisedens@gmail.com or @ daviid.l2
D Markie Spring, a TCI resident of 15 years, is an expert in law enforcement. He worked as a detective in the Royal TCI Police Force and was director of security at Beaches Turks and Caicos.
NSC commissions ‘Action Plan’ to clear backlog of criminal cases
BY DELANA ISLES
King’s Counsel Mark Fenhalls has recommended a wider adaptation of technology and other important factors in order to clear the backlog of criminal cases within the Judiciary of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Fenhalls’ recommendations mark the completion of a review of case progression within the TCI’s criminal justice system, commissioned by the National Security Council (NSC) and supported by the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Justice.
The focus of the review was to assess the current backlog of cases involving serious violent crime in the Islands and explore potential
considerations to drive justice outcomes in a more expedient manner, a statement from the NSC reported this week, following a meeting of the council on June 27.
In addition to using technology in a more beneficial manner to help clear the backlog of cases, the attorney’s recommendations included the use of better case management systems, crosstraining, increasing capacity and infrastructure development.
The Security Council reported that they have commissioned an action plan for the recommendations to be taken forward in conjunction with criminal justice partners.
In January, during the opening of the law year, acting Director of Public Prosecutions, Angela
Brooks had made a startling revelation – that many cases within the criminal justice system have been pending since 2020.
She also revealed the difficulties her office experienced throughout 2023 operating on a staff complement that was stretched thin, among a barrage of other difficulties, many of which hindered prosecution.
In her speech before the judiciary, Brooks stated that many of the cases that were heard in 2023 were matters brought forward from the years 2020 and 2021.
Noting: “My prosecutors were faced with a barrage of difficulties as a result of the delays in criminal trials.
“After a period of time, most
All Island Candidate Sean Astwood of the People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) is proposing a bold new economic initiative aimed at “empowering and protecting Turks and Caicos Islanders (TCI) within the local business landscape”.
In an interview on June 18th, 2024, with the talk show First Edition, Astwood suggested that specific sectors of the economy should be designated exclusively for Turks and Caicos Islanders.
According to information from Astwood, while previous governments have protected local businesses throughselect reserve and restrictive business licenses, his proposal goes a lot further by ensuring entire sectors are exclusively owned and operated by Islanders.
“That means, all shares, business licenses, company assets, bank
accounts, profits etc... will be 100% Turks and Caicos Islander owned,” he informed via a press release.
He continued, “Under this proposal, expatriates would be limited to acting solely as financiers, offering loans to TCI-owned companies without holding any ownership stakes. This approach will so address the challenge of capital accessibility for Islanders, thereby promoting greater local business ownership and growth.”
He said that key sector targeted for this initiative could include the water sports industry, concierge, gaming, gift shops, housing projects, apartment buildings, event planning and much more.
As tourism is our main industry, these associated businesses that service this industry were always meant to be the medium through which our people participate in
witnesses were no longer interested in giving evidence, especially when matters were continuously adjourned for various reasons. Undocumented witnesses most times could not be located or did not want to be found.”
She also said: “We can all agree that over the passage of time our recollection of incidents is not as clear four years down the road as it would be closer to the date of the incident. I say this to make a point.
“The ODPP prosecuted a sexual offence matter in November 2023 that occurred sometime between 2019 - 2020, involving a child who at the time was 13 years old.
“We cannot overlook what is happening around us including the climate of fear, as it regards witnesses coming forward to give evidence - in spite of the legislative amendments that provide protective measures for vulnerable witnesses.
“These were some of the main impediments we faced in 2023 that affected our productivity in prosecuting criminal matters.”
Similar sentiments were expressed at the opening of the law year in 2023, this time by Chief Justice Madam Mabel Agyemang who also illustrated the difficulties the judiciary was experiencing with clearing the build-up of cases that were years old.
She said at the time that despite the addition of more judges and magistrates in the TCI, the wheels of justice have not improved much.
The Chief Justice stated: “In the criminal courts, questions of efficiency have been raised regarding the listing of cases, and the effect of having fixed and warned trials at the Supreme Court, which have sometimes left witnesses bewildered when cases they have prepared for have been adjourned without an explanation they can appreciate.”
She admitted that in 2022, the judiciary was hard-pressed to clear the backlog of criminal cases, sometimes leading to lengthy periods of remand.
Not much has changed from that time to now.
A“red
hot deal”
The red deal which was recently announced is a “Red Hot Deal” that stands to further disempower and marginalise our people
this industry. Until that day when we become owners, shareholders and investors into the larger hotel development projects themselves.
Astwood also emphasises the need to prevent monopolisation within these protected sectors, ensuring fair opportunities for all Turks and Caicos Islanders.
“The current issue of one company seemingly attempting to be the go-to company that all of our local businesses in the water sports and other service sectors must go through, already demonstrates why this protection must be part of this bold new initiative.
“This initiative reflects a commitment to fostering a robust and inclusive local economy, providing greater opportunities for Turks and Caicos Islanders to become the next generation of millionaires. It’s time for TCIs!”
I find that all of the sectors of our economy, which our people have proven time and time again, that they can ably manage are being undermined from us. These sectors are now out of our reach or have new barriers to entry, making it very difficult for us to re-enter that business or operate therein.
I remember when once upon a time, Turks and Caicos Islands were dominant in the construction sector, the real estate sector, the property management sector, boutique and gift shops sector, just to name a few.
Today, our people have been almost entirely pushed out of these sectors or they have become so marginalised, that they find it challenging to make a meaningful living in these areas.
The relaxing of the laws that saw certain areas reserved for our people has disempowered too
many of us. Let it be known, I will never support anything that hinders the growth or development of our country’s economy. However, we clearly have to revisit the reserved sectors of our economy to ensure our people have a realistic chance at succeeding here in our country before all is lost. It is approaching the eleventh hour in this regard. Let’s change course before it is too late.
Ralph Higgs
Sean Astwood
Massive drop in irregular migrant interceptions – police
BY OLIVIA ROSE
Over the last six months, 865 irregular migrants were interdicted in TCI waters, this startling figure represents a substantial 60% reduction compared to the same period last year.
The Turks and Caicos Islands have long been a sought-after destination for those legally seeking a better life. However, this paradise has also become a hotspot for illegal migration, posing significant challenges for local law enforcement and straining resources.
Superintendent of Police Matthew Newton recently addressed the issue at a press conference, revealing a mixed picture of progress and persistent struggles.
While the number of intercepted migrants has significantly decreased compared to last year, the problem remains far from resolved.
In the first six months of 2023, a staggering 4,016 irregular migrants were apprehended in 32 separate interdictions.
This alarming figure underscored the scale of the crisis facing the islands.
However, Superintendent Newton offered a glimmer of hope, reporting an impressive 60% reduction in interceptions during the same period this year.
This reduction can be attributed to several factors, including increased deployment of air and
marine assets in the Northern Caribbean region, improved intelligence sharing, and enhanced coordination within the Operation Bahamas and Turks and Caicos (OPBAT) partnership.
Technological advancements, such as the installation of new radar infrastructure funded by the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office, are also expected to bolster the islands’ detection capabilities.
“We are far more coordinated across the Northern Caribbean region, and the statistics speak for themselves,” Superintendent Newton stated, expressing optimism about these developments.
He said: “Secondly, the OPBAT partnership, which many of you will be familiar with, is more successful in terms of sharing intelligence and having improved situational awareness and there’s
better coordination across the OPBAT partnership, to make sure that we’re deploying all our marine as effectively.
“I must also thank the Honourable Minister Musgrove, who has recently put out a press release in relation to the installation of the radar, which starts today, and we are starting to install that, and that should be ready for deployment within the next four weeks, and Her Excellency has also recently produced a press release which relates to the extension of our radar, not only across Providenciales but across the Turks and Caicos Islands, which will give us increased detection capability.”
However, he also cautioned against complacency, acknowledging that some vessels inevitably slip through the net.
The interconnected nature of illegal migration and other criminal
Police commissioner admits force falling behind in fight against crime
BY OLIVIA ROSE
In a startling admission, Police Commissioner Edvin Martin confessed that the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force is struggling to keep pace with the escalating crime rate.
With homicide rates surging and a disturbingly low detection rate, the police force is undoubtedly struggling to contain the escalating crisis.
As another wave of violence washes over the Turks and Caicos Islands, 22 lives have been brutally cut short in the last six months alone.
During a media briefing at the Police Headquarters on June 24th,
2024, Martin stated, “The issues of criminality in the largest extent have gone ahead and left us a bit behind, in my opinion.”
Martin, who assumed his post earlier this year, attributed the police force’s shortcomings to a lack of resources and training.
He outlined a plan to address these issues by “building capacity within the force through training, the development of resources with vehicular, mechanical as well as manpower resources.”
However, when pressed to elaborate on the specific strengths and weaknesses of the force, Martin demurred. “As it relates specifically to strengths and
weaknesses, I will deliberately rather not to attempt to say that now but at an appropriate time when I do have a good consolidation of where those issues are, to be able to articulate it clearly,” he said.
Commissioner Martin did reveal that the police force is actively recruiting new officers, but acknowledged that the recruitment process is hampered by outdated organizational structures and a protracted but necessary vetting process.
“We are in the current process of actually doing that to expand even further with respect to the issues of recruitment within the police force,” Martin explained.
activities further complicates the issue. Commissioner of Police, Mr Edvin Martin voiced concerns about the involvement of transnational organised crime in facilitating these illicit activities, as well as the potential involvement of local individuals profiting from human smuggling.
“We are really trying to identify this and bring those persons out and hold them to justice as well,”
Commissioner Martin asserted.
Superintendent Newton concluded the press conference with a sobering reminder that the challenges faced by Turks and Caicos are not unique. “Let’s remember that transnational crime and the importation of guns, drugs and ammunition isn’t isolated to the TCI. This is a global issue,” he stated.
The ongoing struggle against illegal migration in the Turks
and Caicos Islands is a complex battle with high stakes. While progress has been made, the situation remains fluid and demands continuous attention and collaborative efforts. The hope is that with sustained commitment and strategic interventions, the islands can effectively manage this crisis and safeguard their borders while upholding humanitarian principles.
The ongoing struggle against illegal migration in the Turks and Caicos Islands is a complex battle with high stakes.
While progress has been made, the situation remains fluid and demands continuous attention and collaborative efforts.
The hope is that with sustained commitment and strategic interventions, the islands can effectively manage this crisis and safeguard its borders.
Superintendent of Police Matthew Newton
TCI authorities intercepted an illegal vessel carrying irregular migrants from Haiti (RTCIPF file photo)
Commissioner of Police Mr Edvin Martin
The commissioner’s candid remarks have raised concerns about the safety and security of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Residents are now looking to Martin to deliver on his promises to reform and revitalize the police force.
TCIAA’s new control tower and fire hall at HHIA progressing nicely
BY OLIVIA ROSE
The construction of a new control tower and fire hall at Howard Hamilton International Airport is progressing steadily towards its anticipated completion date of November 30th, 2024.
On Tuesday, July 2, 2024, the Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority (TCIAA) announced that the critical infrastructure project, which broke ground on May 18th, 2022, is now 73% complete.
The dilapidated state of the current Air Traffic Tower has been a vexing issue for employees who have bemoaned the shabby infrastructure and the lack of maintenance for several years.
“The new tower and CAB and the Fire Service Station are among the notable features pending,” said Wellenica Williams, the Project Manager. “These upgrades are crucial for enhancing the operational capabilities and safety standards at Howard Hamilton International Airport.”
The new control tower will replace an aging facility that has been in operation for over 30 years.
Straudia Gardiner, Senior Air Traffic Controller, emphasized the importance of this upgrade: “We have outgrown the old tower, and the new combined services of the tower and fire hall will provide more modern equipment and capabilities. Once the new building is operational, the old tower will be demolished, marking a significant milestone in our airport’s development.”
Gardiner expressed confidence in the project’s timeline, stating, “Everything is on schedule for November 2024 completion.
“The integration of the tower and fire hall services represents
a significant enhancement in our operational efficiency and safety. This project is essential for accommodating the growing demands of the airport and ensuring we meet international standards.”
In a recent Ministerial statement, Minister of Immigration and Border Services Hon Arlington Musgrove also highlighted advancements in air traffic management: “We have initiated consultancy works for the radar surveillance project, marking a significant advancement in our air traffic management capabilities. He continued: “Consultants are on the ground, here in the Turks and Caicos Islands, meeting with various stakeholders, and will prepare a proposal by the end of this summer, for the procurement of a radar solution, and modern technology introductions for air traffic services and management throughout the Islands.”
The TCIAA’s commitment to innovation is evident in its exploration of cutting-edge technologies. Musgrove added, “TCIAA has left no possibility for innovation off the table, and in fact has invited the consultants to include in their study and report, the possibility of introducing remote air traffic services into the Islands, leveraging the use of the most advanced technology on the market, and reducing the need to construct and/or repair towers.”
Despite these technological advancements, the construction of the new control tower and fire hall remains a priority for the TCIAA. The project represents a significant investment in the future of Howard Hamilton International Airport, ensuring that it remains a safe and efficient gateway to the Turks and Caicos Islands.
HHIA’s new Control Tower under construction (TCIAA Photos) An inside view of the new Control Tower
TCI leaders strengthen ties with US at new embassy opening in Nassau
In a display of strong bilateral ties, HE Governor Dileeni DanielSelvaratnam, Premier Hon Charles Washington Misick, and Deputy Governor HE Anya Williams participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the new US Embassy in Nassau on Friday, June 28.
The event, which also marked the 248th Anniversary of the Independence of the United States, underscored the partnership between the two nations in addressing shared regional threats.
While in Nassau, Governor Daniel-Selvaratnam met with
TCI students evacuated from Jamaica ahead of Hurricane Beryl
In a race against time, the Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports, and Culture successfully evacuated TCI students from Jamaica just before the onslaught of Hurricane Beryl.
With the safety and wellbeing of its students paramount, the Ministry took swift action to ensure their protection.
Beyond the scholarship awardees, the evacuation effort was extended to all TCI students in Jamaica, ultimately aiding one additional student. As a result, all four students were safely relocated
on Tuesday, July 2, 2024.
According to the Ministry, the government of the Bahamas played a crucial role in the operation, providing invaluable assistance by transporting one of the students on their chartered flight. This collaboration was instrumental in ensuring a swift and safe evacuation.
“The ministry remains committed to the safety of all Turks and Caicos Islanders, especially our students both at home and abroad,” stated a representative.
The ministry also extended its prayers for the safety and swift
US Chargé d’Affaires Kimberly Furnish and Commodore King of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force. Discussions centred on combating illegal migrant activity and exploring opportunities for capability development, a brief statement from the Governor’s
Office said.
Highlighting the commitment to internal security, the Governor and Deputy Governor toured Nassau’s Port Security and Tourism Policing arrangements. The visit provided insights into the strategies employed by the Royal Bahamas Police Force and the port security team. In addition to official meetings, the TCI delegation paid a courtesy call to Governor-General Dame Cynthia Pratt and attended a Sunday morning service at the Church of St Christopher The Martyr. (OLIVIA
Hurricane Beryl pummelled Jamaica as a category 4 storm leaving widespread destruction in its wake
recovery of those affected by Hurricane Beryl in Jamaica and other nations.
Hurricane Beryl, a powerful Category 4 storm, wreaked havoc
on Jamaica with heavy winds and rain, causing widespread damage and flooding.
The storm has tragically claimed at least seven lives as it continues its destructive path across the Caribbean.
The hurricane is expected to make landfall in Mexico later on Friday. (OLIVIA ROSE)
ROSE)
Leaders of the TCIG including HE Governor Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam; Premier Hon Charles Washington Misick, and Deputy Governor HE Anya Williams joined US officials; Prime Minister of the Bahamas, Hon Philip Davis and other officials in the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the new US Embassy Nassau (Photo: TCI Governor’s Office)
HE Governor Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam and Deputy Governor HE Anya Williams
RTCIPF tackles crime and safety concerns head-on in town hall meetings
BY OLIVIA ROSE
In a bid to strengthen community relations and address mounting concerns about crime and safety in the TCI, the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RTCIPF) has initiated a series of town hall meetings across various communities.
The inaugural meeting, held in Kew Town on June 24th, saw residents actively participating in discussions on a range of pressing issues.
Key concerns raised by the community included the efficiency of the Witness Protection Programme, vehicle identification plates, human trafficking, the need for bilingual interpreters within the Community Policing Unit, and collaboration with local bodies like religious organisations and sporting initiatives.
Residents also expressed a desire for expanded services at the Police Headquarters and a stronger Police presence in the community given the surge in gang and gunrelated crime.
Commissioner Edvin Martin acknowledged the importance of public trust and confidence in effective policing.
He assured attendees that the RTCIPF is committed to continuous improvement in resource management and strategies to yield more significant results.
“Policing, by its very nature, requires trust, trusting the police to work with the public in getting the job done,” Martin stated. He pledged to increase the frequency of such meetings throughout the islands.
A particularly poignant moment arose when Kew Town resident
Ms Rose Higgs voiced concerns about witness safety in crime investigations.
“Even people with information, they are afraid to come forward, because they feel as if they might be putting themselves in danger,” she expressed.
Superintendent Holden, Head of Crime, Safeguarding and Public Protection, acknowledged the challenges of witness protection in a small island community where anonymity is difficult to maintain.
He highlighted ongoing efforts to strengthen the program and explore support from the UK. Holden also emphasised alternative methods for providing information to the police, such as the anonymous P3 APP and trusted third-party intermediaries.
Superintendent Matthew Newton emphasized the need
for community cooperation, especially in light of the rapid growth of the TCI and the strain on public services. “We’ve got to be brave, we’ve got to do something different. We’ve got to step up, but you’ve also got to trust us that your information intelligence can be protected,” he urged.
Commissioner Martin echoed this sentiment, stating, “We are depending upon you to help us with that information. We are to trust us with that information. Give us that opportunity to give us trust, to treat you that information correctly and hopefully start turning things around.”
Superintendent of Divisions and Community Policing Dwight Gardiner also engaged residents on the need for greater collaboration with the Police.
The second town hall meeting, held in The Bight on June
26th, brought forth additional concerns, including the prevalence and dangers of jitneys, road safety issues, police presence, and community engagement. Attendees called for increased foot patrols, better communication channels, and a strategic plan for the community.
The RTCIPF expressed gratitude to local partners, including religious leaders and Members of Parliament, for their support in facilitating these crucial dialogues. With the series of town hall meetings set to continue, the RTCIPF aims to foster a collaborative approach to addressing the diverse challenges faced by the communities it serves.
Similar town hall-styled engagements are slated for Blue Hills, Five Cays and other communities throughout the island.
Residents turned out to listen and voice their concerns on a number of issues affecting their community
RTCIPF executives engage residents of Kewtown/Dockyard community
Reverend Pedro Williams making a point at the meeting
Superintendent of Divisions and Community Policing Dwight Gardiner and a Kewtown resident
Acting Assistant Commissioner Mat Newton listens to a member of the public
Immigration and Border Services ministry undergoes sweeping transformation
BY OLIVIA ROSE
The Turks and Caicos Islands Ministry of Immigration and Border Services is undergoing a major overhaul aimed at addressing longstanding infrastructure woes and enhancing the ministry’s efficiency and effectiveness.
Hon Arlington Musgrove, Minister of Immigration and Border Services, recently detailed a comprehensive transformation of his ministry. The ambitious overhaul focuses on three key areas: bolstering security, streamlining service delivery, and implementing advanced technology.
Minister Musgrove acknowledged the longstanding issues plaguing the ministry, stating, “We cannot shy away from the fact that there have been numerous complaints and expressed dissatisfaction from customers regarding the poor quality of service they have been receiving.” He emphasized that these are not new problems but “longstanding legacy issues” that his administration is committed to resolving.
To address these inefficiencies, the ministry has significantly increased its workforce across all departments. The new hires bring a range of skills, including “highly technical expertise and specialist skills that were so badly needed, particularly as work progresses towards digitization.”
A cornerstone of the ministry’s modernization strategy is the implementation of advanced technology and digitized systems. The much-anticipated Invitation to Tender (ITT) for the Digitization Project will be issued in the coming weeks, marking a significant step toward streamlining processes and improving efficiency.
of Immigration and Border Services, Hon Arlington Musgrove
The Department of Maritime and Shipping, recently brought under the ministry’s purview, is also undergoing improvements.
Minister Musgrove expressed satisfaction with the department’s ongoing work, particularly regarding the Small Craft Policy and preparations for the upcoming International Maritime Organization (IMO) III Code Audit scheduled for November/ December 2024.
Coupled with this, Musgrove explained that customer service is another area receiving focused attention.
The newly operational Cue Management System allows customers to electronically queue for service, reducing wait times and creating a more organized business
environment. Additionally, the Customer Service Department has expanded its reach, making all relevant services accessible on all islands through the District Commissioners’ Offices.
He stressed that border security remains a top priority.
Minister Musgrove reported that from April 2024 to date, the TCI Border Force executed 24 strategic inland operations, resulting in 11 individuals being charged, convicted, and deported for immigration law violations. A further 332 illegal migrants were repatriated, and operations on intercepted migrant vessels led to an additional 281 repatriations.
The Border Force’s commitment to justice and security is further evidenced by the successful
prosecution of four individuals involved in facilitating illegal migration.
Musgrove underscored that a comprehensive compliance review also recovered approximately $150,000 from customs offenses and penalties.
Looking ahead, Operation ‘Verify’ will focus on identifying and deterring illegal entry through targeted operations by both Ports and Inland Divisions, he explained.
Officers are receiving comprehensive training, and the introduction of new body-worn cameras will enhance transparency and accountability.
The ministry’s services department, set to officially launch with Phase 2 of the Border Force, is already making a difference. The online work permit application process and payment portal are now live, offering customers a more convenient and efficient experience.
MODERNISING AIRPORTS
Minister Musgrove emphasised the ministry’s role as a gateway to the country’s economic prosperity, highlighting the significant progress made by the Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority (TCIAA) in enhancing aviation infrastructure. He pointed out that plans are underway to finalise international airlift to the JAGS McCartney International Airport in Grand Turk, with negotiations ongoing with two airlines.
To this end, the TCIAA is also finalizing the design and relocation of the fire hall at the JAGS McCartney International Airport, with a vision to create a state-of-the-art facility that will be a regional benchmark.
Other notable developments
include the completion of concession stands in the departure lounge of the JAGS McCartney International Airport, with a new snack bar set to open in July.
Additionally, an agreement has been signed with Scotia Bank for an office space at the airport, addressing a long-standing request from the Grand Turk community.
In South Caicos, the ceremonial renaming of the Norman B Saunders Sr International Airport on May 24, 2024, marked a significant milestone, Musgrove said.
He reported that the perimeter fence restoration project is well underway, with a 50% completion to date, ensuring the airport meets international safety and security requirements for international airlift.
With international airlift service set to commence in South Caicos this fiscal year, the airport is being upgraded to accommodate major airlines like American Airlines.
The Minister told the House of Assembly that a new fire truck has been procured, and the airport is being modernized with new concession stands and plans for a boutique shopping village.
The control tower and fire station at the Clifford Gardiner International Airport in North and Middle Caicos are now operational, with the first batch of firefighters trained at the worldrenowned Dallas Fort Worth Fire and Research Academy.
Plans for a new terminal building in North Caicos are also in the finalisation stage. The TCIAA, with the assistance of internationally acclaimed architects Dyke Nelson and Associates, has identified a new location for the terminal and intends to reveal its design plans this summer.
Four murders under investigation as police actively pursue gunmen – National Security Council
A week ago, the National Security Council (NSC) was briefed on crime and security matters in the TCI, discussing the steep rise in criminal activity in the territory, particularly the four murders that occurred within the span of three days.
Co-chairing that meeting, held on June 27, was HE Governor Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam and Hon Premier Charles Washington Misick, at the Office of the
Premier in Providenciales.
Also in attendance at that meeting was the Hon. Deputy Premier, the Hon. Attorney General, the Commissioner of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RTCIPF), the Permanent Secretary National Security Secretariat (NSS), the Head of the Governor’s Office and the NSS Threat Lead.
Members were briefed by the Commissioner of Police
on the current overview of policing operations and crime, including on the three separate shooting incidents that resulted in four fatalities in Providenciales between June 21 and 23.
These incidents are currently under investigation. The NSC was also updated on two ongoing safeguarding matters and was informed that Royal TCI Police Force is actively pursuing persons of interest.
The Council discussed strategic approaches to strengthen Offender Management.
They were also updated on the multiagency response and successful rescue to the emergency ‘crash landing’ of a small aircraft inbound to the Howard Hamilton International Airport due to engine failure.
Meanwhile, members of the TCI and UK Joint Maritime Security Delivery Board reported on the
progress of the UK-funded project to install coastal surveillance radars and various wider maritime security enhancement initiatives which will significantly increase TCI’s Maritime Domain Awareness. The primary function of the TCI/UK Delivery Board is to oversee the current projects and to explore options for strengthening multi-agency collaboration along with identifying opportunities for training and capacity building.
Minister
COVID-19 surge triggers urgent health warning
A surge in COVID-19 cases and respiratory infections has sparked an urgent public health alert from the Ministry of Health and Human Services.
The alarming increase in infections locally and regionally has health officials deeply concerned, emphasising the critical need for immediate action to protect the community.
In a statement on Thursday, July 4, 2024, Health officials said they are closely monitoring the situation and urged residents to take immediate precautions to prevent further spread of these viruses.
“We are seeing a concerning rise in acute respiratory infections, including COVID-19, which indicates that these viruses are spreading rapidly in our community. It is imperative that we all take action to protect ourselves and others, especially the most vulnerable individuals within our population,” warned Dr Nadia Astwood, Chief Medical Officer.
Residents are urged to take immediate precautions, including wearing masks in indoor public spaces and crowded outdoor areas, practicing good hygiene,
avoiding crowded places with poor ventilation, staying home if sick, and getting vaccinated against COVID-19 and the flu.
While both adult and paediatric COVID-19 vaccines are available at Primary Health Care Clinics, supplies of paediatric vaccines are limited.
The COVID-19 pandemic is a global outbreak of coronavirus –an infectious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
Cases of novel coronavirus (nCoV) were first detected in Wuhan China in December 2019, with the virus spreading rapidly to other countries across the world.
This led WHO to declare a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on 30 January 2020 and to characterise the outbreak as a pandemic on 11 March 2020.
Several years later, although the disease no longer fits the definition of a PHEIC, this does not mean the pandemic itself is over, but the global emergency it caused is – for now.
Many countries including the Turks and Caicos Islands have
collaborated with the World Health Organisation and other regional health bodies to develop longterm, standing recommendations to manage COVID-19 on an ongoing basis.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic started, over 2 million people in the European Region have died from the disease, according to the WHO. (OLIVIA ROSE)
‘Armed and dangerous’ Jouvly Inelus
Police are seeking the public’s help in finding 32-year-old Jouvly Inelus of Wheeland Providenciales.
Police said Inelus, who was born in Haiti, is also known as ‘JUVI’, and he is wanted in connection with an ongoing investigation and is believed to be armed and dangerous.
The man is described as slim built, standing 5 feet 7 inches, and was born on January 9, 1992.
Police have given reassurance that any information provided as to Inelus’ whereabouts will be treated with the strictest confidence.
If you have any information on the whereabouts of this subject, please contact the Police by dialing 911 or Crime Stoppers on 1-8008477 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page: www. crimestoppers.tc.
All calls are answered by Miami Dade Police and no one from the RTCIPF will know who called. Only the information received will be provided to the RTCIPF. We remind people they should not report crime information via our Facebook and Twitter pages.
WANTED: Jouvly Inelus
Dr Nadia Astwood, Chief Medical Officer said: “It is imperative that we all take action to protect ourselves and others”
Regional News
Bermuda: Walter Roban to retire from politics
Walter Roban, the Deputy Premier and Minister of Home Affairs, will retire from politics after more than 35 years of serving the Progressive Labour Party.
Mr Roban said in a statement released yesterday that it was “now time to move into the next phase” of his life. He said he will not be contesting the next General Election.
The 57-year-old added: “My life has always been about service, and political service has taken precedence for the past 25 years.
“It was never meant to be a lifelong job and I am now at the point where I am ready to make a shift.”
Mr Roban joined the PLP in the late 1980s as a party officer and for decades helped to shape the group’s policies, strategies and goals.
He helped to usher in the PLP’s historic victory in 1998, and had since worked in by-elections and General Election campaigns.
Mr Roban was appointed to the Senate in 2003 under former PLP premier Alex Scott.
He won his seat in the General Election in 2007 and succeeded union stalwart Ottiwell Simmons as MP of Pembroke East Central.
Mr Roban went on to serve under several cabinets and shadow cabinets, taking on the role of Deputy Premier in 2017.
Reflecting on his career with the PLP, Mr Roban said: “The PLP was founded to improve the lives of the people and we have always
kept that focus.
“We may not have always been able to please all the people all the time, but we have worked tirelessly to bring about change.
“Change doesn’t often come easy, and sometimes even the change people advocate for can be rejected when they realise that it may in some way impact them negatively.
“That is politics; that is life.
“However, I have always been proud of the PLP and of work we have done.”
He added: “During my time under L. Frederick Wade, Dame Jennifer Smith, Alex Scott, Ewart Brown, Paula Cox, Marc Bean and now the current leader and Premier,
Starmer set to become UK’s PM as Tories face worst defeat
Labour is set to win a general election landslide with a majority of 170, according to an exit poll for the BBC, ITV and Sky.
If the forecast is accurate, Sir Keir Starmer will become prime minister with 410 Labour MPs –just short of Tony Blair’s 1997 total.
The Conservatives are predicted to slump to 131 MPs, their lowest number ever.
The Liberal Democrats are projected to come third with 61 MPs.
The Scottish National Party will see its number of MPs fall to 10, while Reform UK is forecast to get 13 MPs, according to the exit poll.
The Green Party of England and Wales is predicted to double its number of MPs to two and Plaid Cymru is set to get four MPs. Others are forecast to get 19 seats.
The exit poll, overseen by Sir John Curtice and a team of statisticians, is based on data from voters at about
130 polling stations in England, Scotland and Wales. The poll does not cover Northern Ireland.
At the past five general elections, the exit poll has been accurate to within a range of 1.5 and 7.5 seats.
If the exit poll is correct it will be a remarkable turnaround for the Labour Party, which had its worst post-war election result in 2019, when the Conservatives under Boris Johnson won an 80 seat majority.
The Conservatives may avoid the wipe-out predicted by some opinion polls but they are still set for the worst result in the party’s history, losing 241 MPs - a devastating blow after 14 years in government.
It will mean a Labour prime minister in Downing Street for the first time since 2010 and a likely battle for the future direction of the Conservatives if, as seems likely, Rishi Sunak stands down as leader.
David Burt, much work has been done to benefit Bermudians.
“The people’s work will continue to be done.
“To my colleagues in the legislature, over many years, I have enjoyed serving with you as we work to shape a different and better Bermuda.
“That journey continues and I will be supporting you all the way.
“At the next election, I will be a bystander politically, but I will always be a supporter of the party.
“I will continue to encourage our supporters to get involved in our great party, and for the wider electorate to support a PLP government.
“I would like to thank all of my
family for all their love and support over the decades of political life.
“There aren’t too many things harder than being the family of a politician and I thank them from the bottom of my heart.
“And, of course, my PLP Constituency 15 branch workers who have supported me without hesitation and without reservation for the past 17 years.
“There are many others who have supported me over the years, party members who encouraged and guided me in this journey.
“They are too numerous to mention but I am eternally grateful to all.”
Mr Roban also said: “A personal thank-you goes out to the current
leader of the PLP, David Burt, my leader, friend and colleague.
“We have been on a great journey together. We have shaped and led the PLP to political success only imagined by our founders.
“It has been a gift to share a vision for our country and the work to bring into effect the potential our island has.
“Bermuda has the ability to evolve and adapt to the changing world. I am excited about the possibilities of the future.
“I thank the Progressive Labour Party and the people of Bermuda for the opportunity to serve you.”
Mr Roban’s decision follows Lieutenant-Colonel David Burch, the Minister of Public Works, announcing his retirement last December. He will also stand down at the next General Election.
He said he came to the decision in 2022 after a quarter-century career in politics.
Mr Roban’s retirement comes after the Premier twice dispelled rumours of dissension within the PLP.
The PLP spoke out against accusations of autocratic behaviour and tensions the supposed behaviour caused within the party.
These allegations, according to a report by TNN, came about when a sitting of the House of Assembly ended abruptly despite several backbenchers having contributions to make during the motion to adjourn.
Water Roban and Premier David Burt
Regional News
Hurricane Beryl leaves trail of death and destruction
Hurricane Beryl has left a trail of death and destruction in its wake after rampaging across the Caribbean. Three people were reported killed in Grenada and Carriacou, and another in St Vincent and the Grenadines, officials said.
Two other deaths were reported in northern Venezuela, where five people are missing, officials said.
Devastation descended upon Grenada’s Carriacou Island and Petite Martinique as the islands served as ground zero for the hurricane with a Category 4 strength and 150 miles per hour eye, which destroyed homes and left three people dead. During a media briefing this week, Grenada Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell said the fatalities were recorded in Grenada and Carriacou, with the possibility of the figure rising in the coming days.
Prime Minister Mitchell said, “Minister Andrews has tentatively reported at least two deaths as a result of the passage of Hurricane Beryl. The possibility that there may be more remains a grim reality.”
Mitchell stated that the absence of communication networks made it difficult to ascertain facts. “I can’t elaborate on this; all I can say to you is that we have one fatality in Grenada that happened when a
tree fell on a house. In the case of Carriacou, the reports I have are of two fatalities. I cannot give you more details, as I indicated we have had virtually no communication with Carriacou in the last 12 hours except briefly this morning (Tuesday) via satellite phone. Movement within Carriacou is severely restricted because of the significant destruction.” Mitchell painted a bleak picture of the island in the aftermath of the hurricane.
“The situation is grim; there is no power, and there is almost complete destruction of homes and buildings on the islands. The roads are not passable, and in many instances, they are cut off because of the large quantity of debris strewn all over the streets, and obviously, there are dangers posed by downed power lines.”
He further noted that as a result of the widespread destruction of homes and properties, emergency shelters would continue to remain in operation.
“The north of the island, including Carriacou and Petite Martinique, and the south of the island are almost completely different places. In the southern tip, there is minimal damage, and all power has already been restored. But that is not the case in the north, western, and eastern parts of the island. We are still dealing
with road clearance; power is out, and numerous of our citizens have lost their roofs and do not have any shelter over their heads. Our shelters will remain open.”
The hurricane horror story was also shared by an emotional prime minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, who recounted the tragedy that swept through the islands of St Vincent and the Grenadines.
“Sadly, it has been reported to the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO). We don’t yet know all the details of how one person died. There may well be more fatalities. We are not yet sure, given the fact that I am reporting to you a few hours after the devastation that was brought unto this land.”
Gonsalves stated that 90 per
cent of homes and businesses on Union Island were destroyed, and its airport was also damaged.
“From the indicators, we have suffered badly, and in particular areas like Union Island, for example, it has been devastating.” He appealed to criminal elements on the island not to exploit the vulnerability of those impacted by the hurricane. On Monday evening, Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley said cleanup efforts were underway for impacted coastal areas. She stated that while damage to properties and infrastructure was recorded, the country was spared the brunt of the hurricane.
“I still believe that while we have had significant damage, the truth is it could have been a lot
worse, and we have to give thanks and say our prayers,” she said.
In St Lucia, assessments of the damage were being conducted. Prime Minister Philip J Pierre issued an all-clear for utility companies to begin evaluating and performing repairs. He indicated that businesses and government offices were expected to reopen yesterday, and schools were expected to reopen today.
According to the St Lucia Times, “The Prime Minister also disclosed ‘significant damage’ at the Soufriere Waterfront and Cemetery area, flooding in Laborie, particularly at the Cross Over Park and waterfront areas. In addition, Pierre said the Vieux Fort Police Jetty has been completely destroyed.” (Trinidad Guardian)
Caribbean islands sweep categories in World Travel Awards
Several Caribbean nations have been recognized for their excellence in tourism in this year’s World Travel Awards.
The awards highlighted the region’s diverse offerings, from pristine beaches to eco-friendly resorts.
In a press release, it was announced that Jamaica emerged as a multiple award winner, securing ‘Caribbean’s Leading Destination’, ‘Caribbean’s Leading Cruise Destination’, and ‘Caribbean’s Leading Tourist Board’.
Turks and Caicos claimed the title of ‘Caribbean’s Leading Beach Destination’, while The Bahamas was honoured as the ‘Caribbean’s Leading Luxury Island Destination’. St Vincent and The Grenadines stood out as the ‘Caribbean’s Leading Nature
included Jamaica’s Half Moon as ‘Caribbean’s Leading Hotel’, Round Hill Hotel & Villas as ‘Caribbean’s Leading Villa Resort’, and Beaches Turks and Caicos as ‘Caribbean’s Leading All-Inclusive Family Resort’.
In the aviation category, Bahamasair was recognized as ‘Caribbean’s Leading Airline’, while Jamaica’s Sangster International Airport won ‘Caribbean’s Leading Airport’.
Graham Cooke, Founder of World Travel Awards, commented on the winners saying: “Our winners represent the very best in travel and tourism from across the Caribbean and Americas, and my congratulations to each and every one of them. They are all playing starring roles in driving the regions to even greater heights.”
Hurricane Beryl became the earliest category five storm in history
The awards highlighted the region’s diverse offerings,
Regional News
‘Almost whole island homeless’ in Hurricane Beryl’s wake
Having survived the night as Hurricane Beryl tore across her idyllic home of Union Island with ferocious force, Katrina Coy was taken aback by the extent of the devastation which lay before her.
Virtually every building on the island, which lies off St Vincent and the Grenadines, has been razed or badly damaged, she said.
“Union Island is in a terrible state after Beryl passed. Literally, almost the whole island is homeless,” said Ms Coy in a video message.
“There are hardly any buildings left standing. Houses are flattened, roads are blocked, the electricity poles are down in the streets.”
Fisherman and fishing guide Sebastien Sailly agreed.
“Everything is lost. I have nowhere to live right now,” he said.
A resident of Union since 1985, he lived through Hurricane Ivan in 2004. But Hurricane Beryl, he said, was on another level.
“It’s like a tornado has passed through here. Ninety percent of the island – easily 90% – has been erased.”
The extent of the shock and fear is still evident in his voice.
“I was sheltering with my wife and daughter and, to tell you the truth, I wasn’t sure we would make it out at all.”
His cousin, Alizee, who runs a hotel with her family, described a horrific experience as Beryl passed over their town.
Union Islands was severely affected
She said they had to push furniture against the doors and windows to keep the sustained winds and huge gusts from blowing them open.
“The pressure was so intense that you felt it in your ears. We could hear the roof coming apart and smashing into another building. Windows breaking, flooding.”
“No one knew it would be this bad, everyone is traumatised.”
An organic farmer and beekeeper as well as a fisherman, Sebastien’s two farms and his beehives have been completely destroyed as well.
Still, he said the community’s
Haiti’s prime minister vows ‘new era’ for gang-plagued nation
Haiti’s transitional prime minister assured the international community Wednesday that his violence-plagued nation is at the “dawn of a new era,” and he expressed confidence that a Kenyan-led police mission would help subdue gangs terrorizing the island nation.
“Our country is at a crucial turning point in our history,” Prime Minister Garry Conille told a meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Haiti. “We find ourselves facing a huge challenge but also an excellent opportunity to restore peace and security in our nation.”
He said 12,000 armed gang members are holding Haiti’s population of 12 million people
hostage, and he welcomed the arrival on June 25 of the first police contingent from Kenya. It will lead a multination security support mission of about 2,500 police officers expected to deploy to help Haiti’s police stabilise the country.
“We will restore our territory house by house, neighbourhood by neighbourhood,” Conille said. “This isn’t just a security operation; it is a renaissance of the national spirit.”
Conille, 58, a physician and former UNICEF and international development official, was elected in May by the Presidential Transitional Council to lead the transitional government and took up his post on June 3.
“At this decisive juncture,
immediate priority is shelter. People have been trying to gather wood and plastic sheeting to make some kind of temporary accommodation for their families.
“And obviously, finding water and food is going to be tough,” he added.
Alizee Sailly said many other goods are also urgently needed on Union Island – from tinned foods and powdered milk to sanitary products, first-aid kits and tents.
Plus, of course, generators.
With power and communications still down, she has only managed to send out messages by connecting
to the Starlink network launched by Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
For its part, the government in St Vincent and the Grenadines says it recognises the scale of the problem.
In a morning address, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves summed up the sense of the shock across the Caribbean nation: “Hurricane Beryl – this dangerous and devastating hurricane – has come and gone and it’s left in its wake immense destruction. Pain and suffering across our nation.”
He also promised to react as
quickly as possible to tackle the long list of post-hurricane priorities facing his administration.
On Union Island, however, there remains some scepticism that the government has the funds, resources and manpower to cope.
“I hope they can send us the military and the coastguard to help us. I have no idea if they’re able to rebuild the island but I don’t think so”, said Sebastien. “This is going to take billions, it will take a year or more and is going to need international help.”
Katrina Coy, the director of the Union Island Environmental Alliance, also implored members of the Caribbean diaspora to help in any way they could.
“We’re in dire need of help. Emergency kits, food, evacuation, all of that is needed in this moment.”
For years, Ms Coy has carried out crucial work for Union Island’s water security, a vital resource for small island communities in the Caribbean.
Heartbreakingly, her international colleagues say, that work has been lost to Hurricane Beryl.
Beryl hit land on Monday as a category four hurricane, with sustained winds of 150mph (240km/h).
Thousands of people are still without power and many are in temporary shelters in St Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada and St Lucia.
no project, be it economic or political, can be tackled without addressing the security issue,” he said, acknowledging the many challenges facing the new government.
The latest U.N. report on Haiti, issued last Thursday, says gang intimidation and attacks have displaced 578,000 people, mostly in and around the capital, Port-au-
Prince, with the majority fleeing to rural areas in the south and north. Murders are up significantly.
The U.N. political mission in Haiti, known as BINUH, said in the first five months of this year, 3,252 people have been killed — an increase of 800 people over the last five months of 2023. Kidnappings are also high, with nearly 1,000 abductions between January and
May 2024.
At least 80% of Port -au-Prince is no longer under the control of the Haitian authorities, and violence is spreading to other parts of the country. The Haitian National Police, or HNP, have been targeted and attacked, and 20 officers have been killed so far this year. Gangs also have demolished three police stations and three prisons.
Kenya-led police mission could be the catalyst that brings needed change to Haiti
Regional News
Bahamas: Western Air suspends flights to Cat Island
A major Bahamian airline has suspended flights to Cat Island’s New Bight airport due to the “hazardous state” of a runway that has previously damaged aircraft and prevented yesterday’s scheduled take-off.
Western Air, in a widelycirculated notice posted to its Facebook page, said New Bight’s runway has “deteriorated” to such an extent that it is no longer safe for jet aircraft because multiple pieces of broken asphalt are in danger of being “ingested” by their engines.
The move, which comes amid a planned $18m overhaul of New Bight’s airport that includes runway upgrades, will - temporarily at least - threaten to undermine the flow of tourists, commerce and freight to Prime Minister Philip Davis KC’s constituency as well as impact travel for residents. It is unclear if any other airlines are set to follow Western Air’s lead, but the destination has previously struggled to attract major airlift.
In a notice to passengers, dated yesterday and headlined “Cat Island flight service suspended due to unsafe runway conditions, Western Air wrote that its Flight 401 - which was due to take-off from New Bight yesterday with passengers - was prevented from doing so by a runway that now features “large potholes, severely uneven surfaces and loose debris”.
The Bahamian carrier said: “Due to unsafe runway conditions, flights to and from New Bight, Cat Island have been temporarily suspended until adequate repair on the runway has been completed. While our flight crews have carefully navigated the rough conditions have carefully navigated the rough conditions of the New Bight runway for years, in recent days the New Bight runway has deteriorated to a hazardous state with large potholes, severely
uneven surfaces and loose debris which can be ingested by jet engines.
“The runway in its current state is no longer suitable for the operation of jet aircrafts, such as the ERJ 145 which we operate, mainly due to the broken pieces of asphalt scattered on the runway. These conditions have already resulted in previous damage to an aircraft earlier this month and prevented the departure of today’s Flight 401 from Cat Island with passengers.”
Dr Kenneth Romer, the Government’s director of aviation, last night told Tribune Business by messaged reply that moves “to immediately remedy” the situation were afoot at the Airport Authority which owns New Bight airport.
“I am advised that comprehensive options to immediately remedy, mitigate and eliminate this situation are presently being mobilised,” he said. Dr Romer referred this newspaper to Peter Rutherford, the Airport Authority’s managing director, who did not reply to its message before press time last night.
In a posting on Western Air’s Facebook page, Ruby Russell Brown wrote: “I was on that flight today. I applaud the pilots on a job well done for bringing down the plane in such condition. It was as if
we were in the movies in a race car ducking bullets. This is disgraceful. No aircraft should be allowed to land on that strip in such condition. We don’t have no medical facility to accommodate mishaps.”
Other postings agreed, one saying: “Better safe than sorry. Do what is best.” Western Air, meanwhile, acknowledging the “great inconvenience” its temporary suspension will cause tourists and local travellers alike, said: “Safety must be our first priority.
“We have been in continuous contact with representatives of the Airport Authority who have advised that they are working on a temporary solution for the runway. We are standing by ready to resume flights as soon as it is possible, as we are committed to fulfilling our daily flight schedule into Cat Island. Passengers are being contacted with options to reaccommodate or refund, and will be given updates.”
Western Air’s New Bight move came as multiple airlines voiced concern about the condition of the runways at key Andros airports, noting that some are “World War Two in origin and World War Two was a long time ago”.
Mannix Cargill, Western Air’s network administrator, told the Andros Business Outlook: “The
and passenger survive crash
A small single engine Cessna aircraft crashed on take-off at the Canefield Airport just on the outskirts of the capital on Wednesday, but the pilot and his wife, escaped unhurt.
“I was taking off and got pushed by the sheer winds…but we are all okay,” said the pilot, who did not identify himself to reporters.
The Canefield Airport, situated on the west coast of the island was
officially opened in 1982. It is one of only two airports in the island, with the other being the Douglas Charles Airport on the northeast coast of Dominica.
The authorities have since launched an investigation into the incident.
In July, 2011, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said his administration had no plans to re-open the Canefield Airport to commercial traffic because it is not
economical.
“Every dollar we make at the airport, we are spending 25, so it is not a viable enterprise. I think eventually the people of Dominica will have to take a decision on it as to whether we continue to have it as an airport or some other facility,” Skerrit said then adding “at the end of the day you have to take a responsible decision of the contribution of the Canefield Airport.” (Loop News)
that we have issues with our runway. However, it’s not flooding,” Ms Bain said of Mangrove Cay’s airport. “The runway is deteriorating. There are holes in it. There are things growing up out of the holes. That creates wear and tear on an aircraft. In fact, I had a pilot tell me he will not land there again.
Congo Town airport and the San Andros airport, which are the two airports we operate out of, I think they could use a major overhaul.
“It is difficult operating a larger aircraft on a short runway because now you have to work that aircraft a whole lot harder, landing and take-off. When you land, you have to apply the brakes and reverse throttle in order to stop.
“I don’t know if you have been to Congo Town recently, but it seems the runway is not smooth. There’s bumps along the way coming to take-off and land. Operating a jet aircraft, maintenance can be extremely costly if the runway is not in good condition.”
Mr Cargill was backed by Captain Stuart Hanley, owner and chief executive of Aztec Airways, who told the same conference: “I agree with everything he said. The runways are getting worn out. Some of these runways are World War II in origin and World War II was a long time ago. They do need some attention; the terminals something similar.”
The Andros-related concerns did not end there. Elizabeth Bain, of the Man- grove Cay Club, gave a description of that destination’s runway that was very similar to the conditions described by Western Air at New Bight.
“I do appreciate the awareness
“We do a lot of our arrivals through private aircraft. A lot. I attribute that to the clientele we target in our business. It’s absolutely critical that we have the infrastructure support we need to operate. Without a runway, without Customs, which is another issue which we have been told is coming, coming, coming.
“We’ve been having that maybe for 20 years; it’s coming, coming, coming. We need Customs, we need a runway. The terminal is actually of lesser importance. That building, as long as there’s housing for Customs, that building is probably acceptable. It’s great it’s in the Budget.. What we need to know is how and when.”
Western Air’s decision to suspend flights to New Bight, and the concerns over Andros runways, highlight why the Government is urgently moving to upgrade, overhaul and transform airports throughout The Bahamas using private capital and partners. It simply does not have the means to finance itself the $263m needs of just 14 of the 29 airports it holds via the Airport Authority.
Dr Romer in May 2023 pledged that Cat Island was “going to get the whole hog” when it comes to airport, roads and utilities upgrades and investments. He added that the New Bight International Airport’s runway will be moved further south and extended in an $18m overhaul as part of the 14 Family Island airport private-public partnerships (PPPs). (Tribune242)
A Western Air jet
The aftermath of the plane crash at the Canefield Airport in Dominica
Dominica: Pilot
Rudy Giuliani disbarred over false 2020 election claims
Rudy Giuliani was disbarred Tuesday following years of legal trouble from false claims he made after the 2020 election.
An appeals court in Manhattan handed down the decision to strip Mr. Giuliani, a former presidential advisor, New York City mayor and US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, of his legal credentials on Tuesday.
The court said he made repeated false statements about former President Donald Trump’s 2020 election loss.
Mr Giuliani, 80, previously had his law license suspended in 2021 for making the claims.
“Mr. Giuliani is obviously disappointed in the decision and
we are weighing our appellate options,” Barry Kamins, Giuliani’s representative said in a statement to New York Law Journal.
Mr Kamins could not be reached by BBC News.
In the ruling, the court said Mr Giuliani’s disciplinary charges stem from the “demonstrably false and misleading statements” he made to courts, lawmakers and the public in his capacity as Trump’s lawyer.
“These false statements were made to improperly bolster respondent’s narrative that due to widespread voter fraud, victory in the 2020 United States presidential election was stolen from his client,” the court said, referring to Trump.
Princess Anne is out of hospital and recuperating at home after suffering head injury
Princess Anne, the sister of King Charles III, returned to her Gatcombe Park home on Friday morning, after a short stay in hospital where she was treated for minor injuries and a concussion, according to a royal source.
The Princess Royal, 73, had been injured while walking near horses at the royal estate, in Gloucestershire, western England, on Sunday evening.
Anne will continue to rest and recover at home, returning to public engagements when her medical team recommends it is safe and comfortable to do so, the source told CNN.
Her husband Vice-Adm. Tim Laurence expressed his gratitude to the medical staff for their care.
He said in a statement, “I would like to extend my warmest thanks to all the team at Southmead Hospital for their care, expertise and kindness during my wife’s short stay.”
The exact circumstances that led to the Princess Royal’s injuries were not clear but there were horses in the vicinity and previously her medical team said that her head injuries were consistent with a potential impact from a horse’s head or legs.
Emergency services were sent
to the estate and, after medical care at the scene, she was transferred to Southmead Hospital in Bristol for appropriate tests, treatment and observation.
CNN understands the princess has not been able to recall the details of what happened on Sunday evening due to her concussion.
While it’s not known how long the princess will be convalescing for, she will be receiving rehabilitation support at home as she follows standard concussion protocols.
Anne is widely considered to be one of the hardest working royals,
dutifully undertaking hundreds of engagements each year. She is one of several senior royals that stepped up further to support the King when he briefly stepped away from public-facing duties following his cancer diagnosis.
The five-day hospital stay caused the princess to miss several engagements this week, including a state banquet at Buckingham Palace held for the emperor and empress of Japan on the first day of their state visit to the United Kingdom. She had also been due to travel to Canada for a royal visit this weekend.
Two Americans convicted of killing Italian police officer have sentences reduced
An Italian appeals court on Wednesday upheld the convictions of two Americans accused of killing an Italian police officer in 2019, according to a joint statement from the lawyers representing them in Italy.
The court sentenced Finnegan Lee Elder to 15 years and two months in prison and Gabriel Natale-Hjorth to 11 years and four months in prison – further reductions from the original life sentences both men were handed in 2021, after a jury convicted them of murder, according to Craig Peters, the US lawyer representing the Elder family.
Elder and Natale-Hjorth were arrested in 2019 while on vacation in Rome for the murder of the Italian police officer Mario Cerciello Rega, who was stabbed 11 times with a knife in a botched drug deal, police said at the time.
In 2022, Reuters reported that the appeals court had lowered Elder’s sentence to 24 years, and NataleHjorth’s sentence to 22 years.
verdict. However, they added that the court’s recognition that, at the time of the incident, Elder could not have known Rega was a police officer, allows the case “to be viewed quite differently.”
“It is regrettable that we have had to wait through five levels of jurisdiction to see recognized what the young American man has stated since his first interrogation,” the joint statement said.
Elder’s father Ethan said in the statement that “it should not be forgotten that this trial is connected to the tragedy of a person’s death” but he “felt it was right” to bring out the “truth of the facts” to help his son.
Italy’s highest Cassation Court ordered a new trial in 2023.
“The decision rendered today has highlighted a legal qualification of the conduct on that tragic night
“Elder admitted killing Rega, but both he and Natale-Hjorth said they had acted in self-defense because they thought (Rega and another police officer) who were not in uniform were thugs out to get them after a botched attempt to buy drugs,” the news agency reported at the time.
that is certainly more in line with Finnegan’s actual responsibilities,” Renato Borzone and Roberto Capra, the Italian lawyers for the Americans, said in their statement. They added that the court had not yet given its reasoning for the
“From the very first moment, (Elder) stated that he did not understand that they were (policemen) and that he had reacted to a blocking attempt,” Ethan said in the statement. “But he could not rest because no one believed him.”
“I hope that while he will pay for his mistake, it will also open up hope for him in the future,” the statement ends. (CNN)
Mr Giuliani, 80, previously had his law license suspended in 2021
Finnegan Lee Elder, left, and Gabriel Natale-Hjorth sit before the reading of the judgment in Rome, Italy
The Princess Royal, 73, had been injured while walking near horses at the royal estate
Biden says he ‘screwed up’ debate but vows to stay in election
US President Joe Biden has admitted he “screwed up” in last week’s debate against Donald Trump, but has vowed to fight on in the election race and moved to reassure key allies.
He told a Wisconsin radio station he made a “mistake” with his stumbling performance, but urged voters to instead judge him on his time in the White House.
On Wednesday, as reports suggested he was weighing his future, he worked to calm senior Democrats including state governors and campaign staff.
“I’m the nominee of the Democratic Party. No one’s pushing me out. I’m not leaving,” he said in a call to the broader campaign, a source told BBC News.
Mr Biden was joined on the call by Vice-President Kamala Harris, who reiterated her support.
Speculation has mounted over whether she could replace the president as the party’s candidate ahead of the November election.
A fundraising email sent after the call by the Biden-Harris campaign was also bullish. “Let me say this as clearly and simply as I can: I’m
running,” Mr Biden said.
Questions have been swirling around whether the 81-year-old will continue with his campaign following a debate marked by verbal blanks and a weak voice.
It sparked concern in Democratic circles around his fitness for office and his ability to win the election.
Nearly 30,000 evacuated from California wildfires
Tens of thousands of people in northern California have been ordered to evacuate as wildfires grow across the state amid a heatwave.
Around 28,000 people were told to leave their homes after the Thompson Fire broke out this week, according to reports citing the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire).
Dangerously hot, dry and windy weather is expected to continue, with the National Weather Service predicting temperatures could reach 118F (47C) in some areas early next week.
The city of Oroville, near where the Thompson Fire started, cancelled its 4 July fireworks celebration, and officials warned residents not to use fireworks to avoid the risk of starting blazes.
“The last thing we need is somebody who’s purchased fireworks from a local fire stand going out and doing something stupid,” Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said. “Don’t be an
idiot, cause a fire and create more problems for us.”
Mr Honea said the area had seen four fires within the last couple weeks and cautioned that danger was far from over.
“This is a bad fire season,” he added.
Fire season started recently in California and usually runs until October. The size and intensity of fires in the state have grown in recent years.
The amount of burned areas in the summer in northern and central California increased five times from 1996 to 2021 compared to the 24 year period before, which scientists attributed to humancaused climate change.
This week, the National Weather Service issued excessive heat and red flag warnings - indicating hot, dry and windy weather - across the state. The agency said “dangerous” temperatures posed a major to extreme risk of heat stress or illnesses.
According to CalFire, around
Pressure on Mr Biden to drop out has only grown as more polls suggest his Republican rival’s lead has widened.
A New York Times poll conducted after the debate, which was published on Wednesday, suggested Trump was now holding his biggest lead yet at six points. And a separate poll published by
the BBC’s US partner CBS News suggested Trump has a three-point lead over Mr Biden in the crucial battleground states.
The damaging polling for Mr Biden has been compounded by some Democratic donors and lawmakers publicly calling on the president to stand aside.
Among them are Ramesh Kapur,
an Indian-American industrialist based in Massachusetts, who has organised fundraisers for Democrats since 1988.
“I think it’s time for him to pass the torch,” Mr Kapur told the BBC. “I know he has the drive, but you can’t fight Mother Nature.”
And two Democrats in Congress also called for a change at the top of the party’s ticket. The second, Representative Raul Grijalva of Arizona, told the New York Times it was time for Democrats to “look elsewhere”.
Despite this, the White House and the Biden campaign have vehemently denied reports he is actively weighing his future and say he is committed to defeating Trump for a second time on 5 November.
The New York Times and CNN reported on Wednesday that Mr Biden had told an unnamed ally he was aware his re-election bid was in danger.
His forthcoming appearancesincluding an ABC News interview and a Friday rally in Wisconsin - were hugely important to his campaign, he reportedly said. (BBC)
two dozen fires that have burned more than 10 acres sparked across the state since the last week of June. The largest one, at nearly 14,000 acres, was in Fresno county.
No one has died, and 74 structures across the state have been destroyed or damaged.
California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in Butte County to provide resources.
The Thompson Fire started in Oroville, about 70 miles north of the state capital Sacramento, on Tuesday. The city is around 20 miles from Paradise, which was devastated by the Camp Fire in
2018 that killed 85 people. Fires hit the region again in the years following.
As of Wednesday, 28,000 people had been ordered to evacuate the Oroville area, local CalFire spokesman Rick Carhart told the San Francisco Chronicle. The fire as of Thursday was around 3,500 acres and only 7% contained.
Brittanie Hardie, a Louisiana native and recent California transplant, told the San Francisco Chronicle she had not been at home when her girlfriend evacuated their flat, and she had nothing but the clothes she was wearing.
“I knew wildfires were bad
in California, but I didn’t know it was this bad,” Hardie told the newspaper.
Oroville City Council member Shawn Webber posted a video on Facebook on Wednesday showing hillsides charred and smoking on both sides of a road in the area. He wrote that firefighters “have done an excellent job protecting us from even more destruction”.
California’s state parks system said agencies responding to the fire “also have employees with families displaced by these evacuations who are tirelessly assisting the community of Lake Oroville”. (BBC)
Joe Biden did not fare well in his debate
Around 28,000 people were told to leave their homes after the Thompson Fire broke out this week
Teacher who had sex with two schoolboys jailed
A teacher who had sex with two schoolboys and became pregnant by one of them has been jailed.
Rebecca Joynes groomed both boys from the age of 15, first exchanging messages on social media, Manchester Crown Court heard.
The 30-year-old was previously convicted of four counts of sexual activity with a child and two counts of sexual activity with another child.
Joynes cried and shook in the dock as she was sentenced to sixand-a-half years.
The trial heard that Joynes was 28 when she had come out of a nine-year relationship and was “flattered” by the attention of teenage schoolboys.
Neither teenager - known as Boy A and Boy B throughout the trial - can be identified due to their age.
‘FLIRTATIOUS’
Joynes gave birth to Boy B’s baby in early 2024, with the child being taken away from her within 24 hours.
In a victim impact statement, Boy B said “one of the hardest things” was not being told anything about the baby.
He added: “I struggled to come to terms with my abuse, I was completely in denial.”
During the trial, he said he felt he had “betrayed someone I
love and done wrong by giving evidence” but had since realised “the full extent” of the abuse and “tactics used”.
He said he was “coerced, controlled, manipulated, sexually abused, and mentally abused”, adding: “I will forever be Rebecca‘s victim and forever linked to her through our child.”
At the sentencing hearing, the judge, Kate Cornell, told Joynes: “You were the adult, the person in control.
“You should have known better. You failed to enforce the boundaries of proper conduct but
Israel approves largest West Bank land seizure in three decades, rights group says
Israel’s government has approved a large land seizure in the occupied West Bank – the biggest since the 1993 Oslo Accords set out a path for peace between Israel and the Palestinians, according to the Israeli rights group Peace Now.
The Israeli military’s Civil Administration department, which manages civilian matters in the West Bank, issued the declaration on June 25 converting the area into state land, according to a document from the body, but the official notice wasn’t posted until Wednesday, Peace Now said.
The declaration covers a 1,270 hectare (3,138 acre) section of the Jordan Valley in the eastern West Bank near Jericho, the document from the Civil Administration shows.
Peace Now, an Israeli rights group that monitors illegal Israeli settlement expansion, criticised the move in a statement on Wednesday,
saying that the seizure makes it even more difficult to establish “a Palestinian state alongside Israel.”
The group also noted that the latest declaration followed several previous announcements that have made this year the biggest, by far, for Israeli land seizures in the Palestinian territory, according to data it has collected that dates back to 1993.
According to the report, declaring land as state property is one of Israel’s primary methods for asserting control over the occupied territories. Once land is designated as state land, Israel no longer recognizes it as privately owned by Palestinians. CNN has reached out to the spokesperson for Israel’s Civil Administration for comment about this specific claim by Peace Now, but has yet to hear back.
‘THWARTING’
deliberately transgressed them.”
The trial heard Joynes would “laugh off” inappropriate comments instead of shutting down the behaviour.
She gave Boy A all but one of the digits of her mobile phone number as a maths problemsolving exercise in which he had to work out the final digit.
They then connected on Snapchat and he sent her flirtatious texts, with the pair agreeing to meet in secret.
Boy A lied to his mother that he was staying at a friend’s house after school but instead Joynes
picked him up and took him to the Trafford Centre, where she bought him a £350 Gucci belt.
Judge Cornell said CCTV footage of Joynes buying the belt showed that “your flirtatious body language and eye contact could hardly be a clearer indication of grooming behaviour”.
Back at her flat Joynes had sex twice with Boy A.
The next day the boy’s mother noticed a love-bite on her son’s neck, which he dismissed as “nothing”.
The court heard she stormed into school reception as police were called in about the case.
Joynes was then bailed on condition she would have no unsupervised contact with anyone under 18.
She told the trial she then moved back to her parents in Wirral after having a “breakdown” and she was at a low point when Boy B messaged her on Snapchat.
He later told police they regularly had unprotected sex at her Salford Quays flat and that Joynes had told him she could not become pregnant.
Joynes was arrested for breaking bail conditions and spent five months in custody until she was bailed in November last year.
Boy B said in his statement there had been a “massive mental toll” on him and his family.
He said he had been told by
social services that Joynes had refused to let them update him about the baby’s due date, gender or health.
“The thought of not being able to see my child was heartbreaking,” he added.
Judge Cornell said Joynes was a “high achiever” who had thrown her career away and had her baby taken away from her through her own actions.
“You felt buoyed and boosted by their attention,” she added.
“There’s no real insight from you, you continue to deny the offences and have been silent on the distressing impact on these boys.”
Det Con Beth Alexander, from Greater Manchester Police, said: “School should be a place of safety for children.
“It’s clear from some of the public commentary when Joynes was convicted that there is still a lack of understanding when it comes to men and boys being the victims of sexual offences.
“They have had to read comments stating others are ‘jealous’ of them, and that they ‘should be happy a young female teacher was interested in them’, and this rhetoric is very damaging and dangerous.
“Women can still be paedophiles; this term is not reserved only for men. Men and boys can still be victims of sexual abuse.” (BBC)
PALESTINIAN STATEHOOD
Separately, on Monday Israel’s Higher Planning Council, the government body responsible for greenlighting new housing construction in parts of the West Bank, said it would move to approve thousands of new housing units in dozens of Israeli settlements, according to Peace Now.
Israel’s Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who also holds
a position in the Defense Ministry with significant control over civilian matters in the occupied West Bank, celebrated the move in a Wednesday post on X.
“Building the good country and thwarting the establishment of a Palestinian state. MTA is meeting this morning to approve over 5,000 housing units,” he wrote, using an acronym for The Higher Planning Council.
Smotrich spoke about preventing the occupied West Bank from becoming a part of an independent Palestinian state, according to leaked audio of a speech he gave in June.
On Sunday, Israel sparked condemnation after the finance minister announced plans to legally recognise five unauthorised Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank. (CNN)
Rebecca Joynes was jailed for six-and-a-half years
A view of Jordan Valley near the West Bank city of Jericho in the Israeli-occupied West Bank
PAINTER
BABYSITTER
DOMESTIC WORKER
CLEANER
Juba Sound, Providenciales Is seeking to
Will Smith debuts new song in fiery performance at the BET Awards
Will Smith brought flames and faith to the stage at the BET Awards on Sunday.
Smith returned to his music roots with the debut of his new song, “You Can Make It.” Featuring Fridayy and the Sunday Service Choir, Smith rapped about perseverance in the gospel-infused song.
“The darker the hell you gotta endure / The brighter the heaven you get to enjoy / The harder the fall, the higher you soar,” Smith rapped, surrounded by pyrotechnic fire on the stage. “God opens a window when the devil closes the door / Believe
me, they tried to bleed Will Smith / In the rearview, I see adversity was the gift / To lift me higher gifts requires faith.”
Smith’s performance at the BET Awards follows his surprise Coachella appearance in April, when he showed up during J Balvin’s set for a rowdy rendition of his track “Men In Black,” which was initially released in conjunction with his hit 1997 movie of the same name.
The “Independence Day” star’s new music is his first solo material in over five years, teeing up his first major music release since his “Lost and Found” album from 2005.
In recent years Smith has occasionally collaborated with other artists, including Bad Bunny
and Marc Anthony. He dropped the EDM single “Get Lit” in 2017 and also released the track “Light ‘Em Up” with Sean Paul, which is on the soundtrack for his new film, “Bad Boys: Ride or Die.”
Smith is a four-time Grammywinning artist, in the rap performance category both solo and as part of a duo or group. His first win was for the 1988 song “Parents Just Don’t Understand,” which he performed alongside DJ Jazzy Jeff as the Fresh Prince. The pair also won for their 1992 track “Summertime.” As a solo artist, Smith won back-to-back rap performance Grammys in 1998 for “Men In Black,” and then “Gettin’ Jiggy with It” the following year. (CNN)
Jamie Foxx still hasn’t publicly disclosed what caused his hospitalisation last year but has shared more details during an encounter captured on video.
The Oscar-winning actor was hospitalised in April 2023 for a health crisis while he was filming the Netflix film“Back in Action” in Atlanta.
In a video posted to TikTok this week, Foxx tells an unidentified group of people that he had a “bad headache” on April 11, 2023. He recalls asking his friend for an Advil and then “I was gone for 20 days.”
“I don’t remember anything,” he said in the video, recorded on June 29 in Phoenix.
Foxx went on to explain in the footage that he was told his sister and his daughter took him to a doctor, who gave him a cortisone shot. Another doctor told him something was “going on up there,” Foxx said, pointing to his
head.
“I won’t say it on camera,” he said in the footage.
The star is known to be guarded about his private life, and he disappeared from the limelight at the time following what his daughter Corinne Foxx then referred to as a “medical complication” on social media.
In July 2023, the “Ray” star explained he chose not to disclose more information because he didn’t want the public “to see me like that.”
“I want you to see me laughing, having a good time, partying, cracking a joke, doing a movie, television show. I didn’t want you to see me with tubes running out of me and trying to figure out if I was gonna make it through,” he said in a video posted to Instagram at the time, adding that he felt like he had gone “to hell and back.”
Foxx shared another health update on his verified social media in August 2023.
Will Smith, centre, performs during the BET Awards on Sunday, June 30, 2024, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles
The Oscar-winning actor was hospitalised in April 2023
Masterpiece found in plastic bag sells
for £17.5m
A painting described as a masterpiece which was found in a plastic bag after being stolen has sold for £17.6m at auction.
Rest On The Flight Into Egypt, painted by Venetian master Titian when he was aged just 20 in 1510, was sold by London auction house Christie’s.
The work was stolen from the drawing room of stately home Longleat in Wiltshire in 1995, but was found seven years later without its frame in a plastic carrier bag in London.
Its sale sets a new world auction record for the artist, auctioneers said.
‘UNIQUE RARITY’
Lord Bath, who succeeded his father as the Marquess of Bath in 2020, inheriting the Longleat estate, said the painting had an
“extraordinary history”.
Speaking ahead of the sale, he said: “We have a considerable long-term investment strategy at Longleat and have decided to sell this asset to further this agenda at a time when the market for paintings of such unique rarity is so strong.”
The picture, which depicts Mary cradling Jesus as Joseph looks on, is 2ft (60cm) wide and painted on a wooden panel.
It has had many owners over the years, including Austrian Emperor Joseph II, before being hung at the Belvedere Palace in Vienna.
French troops looted the painting in 1809 for the Napoleon Museum, which was assembled by the Bonaparte family.
It was later owned by a Scottish landowner before being bought by the fourth Marquess of Bath in 1878 at a Christie’s auction.
After being stolen in 1995, it was recovered in 2002 by former Scotland Yard detective Charles Hill after a £100,000 reward was offered for information.
Mr Hill is also credited with helping to recover Edvard Munch’s The Scream after it was stolen in 1994, as well as other famous artworks.
‘TRULY
OUTSTANDING EXAMPLE’
Speaking ahead of the auction, Andrew Fletcher, Christie’s global head of the Old Masters Department, said it was the most important work by Titian to come to the auction market “in more than a generation”. He added that the picture was
“a truly outstanding example of the artist’s pioneering approach to both the use of colour and the representation of the human form in the natural world”.
He said the piece secured Titian’s status as “one of the greatest painters in the history of Western art”.
The painting had had an auction estimate of £15m-£20m. (BBC)
Critics split on Beverly Hills Cop sequel Axel F
Critics have given a mixed response to the fourth outing of Beverly Hills Cop, which sees Eddie Murphy and other cast members from the original 1984 film reunite.
Many reviews agreed Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F inspired feelings of nostalgia, with Murphy back in the iconic role of Detective Axel Foley 40 years after the first film smashed box office records.
In a three-star review, USA Today called the film “a true comfort-food throwback”.
But The Guardian gave it just two stars, arguing there was “little energy to enliven their formulaic reunion”.
The original Beverley Hills Cop made Murphy a superstar and led to two sequels over the following decade and a chart-topping soundtrack.
In the new film, released on Wednesday on Netflix, Foley is back on the beat in Beverly Hills and his estranged daughter’s life is threatened.
The Independent’s Clarisse Loughrey awarded it two stars, writing: “The film has the confidence to poke fun at the franchise’s infamously bad third entry, yet comes to the table with nothing to prove, nothing to say, and nothing for Murphy to work with.”
She continued: “It has landed at Netflix, with a bloated $150m [£118m] budget, hot on the tail of
Eddie Murphy is now 63 years old
Bad Boys: Ride or Die.
“Bad Boys owes a large chunk of its existence to Beverly Hills Cop, and yet that franchise has succeeded in maturing where this one has certainly failed. A lot of it has to do with the simple acknowledgement that time has passed.”
There was more enthusiasm for the film from USA Today’s Brian Truitt, who described it as “a confident fourth outing” in the action-comedy franchise.
Truitt praised the film’s classic elements, including “retro
Bob Seger and Pointer Sisters tunes, that signature Detroit Lions varsity jacket and the impressive commitment to on-duty ridiculousness”.
“And while it’s a very modern release – via streaming rather than movie theatres – everything else leans pretty old school,” he noted.
In the LA Times, Glenn Whipp was similarly positive, commenting that from as early as the opening credits, “you realise that everyone involved understood the assignment”.
“The solution to creating a new
Beverly Hills Cop movie was to simply make the first one all over again.”
He continued: “Murphy is effective, even if the tone has shifted from a brash swagger to nostalgic cheer. The heat is gone.”
“While it’s easy to view Axel F as a calculated cash grab, it’s clear that Murphy possesses an affection for the title character.”
Original cast members Judge Reinhold and John Ashton have joined Murphy for the fourth instalment.
The film also stars Taylour
Paige, as Foley’s daughter Jane, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as his new partner, detective Bobby Abbott.
However, Robert Daniels at The New York Times criticised the film, writing that Murphy “struggles to revive the moribund action-comedy franchise”.
“Murphy returns with the same Detroit Lions jacket, his familiar chuckle and his movie star grin.
“But there’s little to smile about in this painfully lacklustre retread desperately trying to justify its own existence,” he added.
Peter Bradshaw in The Guardian agreed, adding: “There’s something a bit tired and formulaic about this further go-around for his iconic Detroit cop Axel Foley.
He continued: “It’s still funny when Murphy does his “white people” voice, once a staple of his stand-up days. But like Murphy’s Coming 2 America, this feels a bit stale, and a mature guy like him can’t play the subversive anarchist comedy energy in the way he did.
“Murphy could still play comedy or drama with the right script, but this presumes a great deal on the audience’s brand loyalty.”
The latest film is the first time Murphy has reprised the role, which paved the way to his stardom, in 30 years.
He was in his 20s when he shot the first film, and is now 63, with a string of films including The Nutty Professor, Shrek and Norbit under his belt. (BBC)
Rest On The Flight Into Egypt, painted by Venetian master Titian when he was aged just 20 in 1510
TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDER STATUS APPLICATION
( SECTION 4(3) OF THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDER STATUS ORDINANCE)
Take notice that I, Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam, Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands in exercise of the powers conferred in me by Section 6(4) of the Turks and Caicos Islander Status Ordinance intend to grant a Certificate of Turks and Caicos Islander Status to Michelle Sophia Smith by virtue of marriage to a Turks and Caicos Islander.
MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN
Reporting: Maintenance Manager Department: Maintenance
JOB
PURPOSE:
Under the supervision of the Maintenance Manager, the Maintenance Technician is responsible for performing diversified duties to troubleshoot, install, repair and maintain all resort facilities, parking lots, vehicles, equipment and water works.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES:
1. Perform daily maintenance tasks as assigned by the Maintenance Manager or other authorized individuals, manage time responsibly and actively pursue new tasks as appropriate.
2. Respond to maintenance inquiries, issues, concerns, requests, procedures and projects and take immediate action to resolve/provide solutions.
3. Repair defects in facilities, appliances, machinery and equipment and report same to supervisor, relevant owners, management and co-workers.
4. Complete work order requests as assigned and submit completed forms, detailing time and materials, to supervisor or authorized persons; ensure work orders are given priority and completed timely with the highest quality standards.
5. Conduct pre-arrival room checks 24 hours prior to arrival or as soon as practical.
6. Test, record and/or service health and safety systems, physical plant, utilities, pools, waste water treatment plants, fitness equipment, laundry equipment, lighting, the Resort and related equipment on a regularly scheduled basis.
7. Perform special projects as assigned by the Maintenance Manager or other authorized individuals.
8. Report inventory shortages prior to depletion; submit purchase order requests to supervisor or authorized person; maintain inventory control procedures and participate in physical inventory as required.
9. Keep maintenance work areas, workshop and storerooms neat, tidy, organized and in compliance with TCIG health and safety regulations.
10. Maintain a proper set of work tools; keep company tools in good working order; keep tools/equipment secure and in proper storage
areas.
11. Keep supervisor and relevant co-workers informed/advised of projects and provide progress reports on guest/owner issues.
12. Remain flexible to accommodate customers and respond to emergency calls as needed when off duty.
13. Complete assigned Checklists and Work Orders in a timely manner and submit to supervisor for approval.
14. Follow safety and cleanliness standards in the completion of all maintenance tasks.
15. Take ownership/responsibility for issues that require maintenance attention and respond quickly and appropriately.
16. Maintain knowledge of the resort, its operations and relevant inventory.
17. Maintain professional, courteous manner with guests, owners, contractors and co-workers at all times.
18. Manage and monitor the standards of performance and work of vendors/contractors in the absence of the supervisor.
19. Comply with OCR’s policies, procedures and guidelines.
20. Perform other duties as assigned by the immediate supervisor or any other person authorized to give instructions or assignments.
SKILLS/QUALIFICATIONS:
1. To perform this job successfully, individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.
2. High School Diploma, appropriate resort or building industry trade certification, plus relevant education and 2-3 years general maintenance experience, preferably in a resort environment.
3. Experience in general trades: plumbing, electrical, AC, carpentry, appliance repair, painting, masonry, drywall.
4. Thorough knowledge of hotel maintenance procedures, operations and equipment, including pool and wastewater treatment plant testing.
5. Self-motivated and dependable with a strong work ethic and good trouble-shooting skills.
6. Good communication skills; ability to speak, read and write fluently in English language.
7. Professional appearance and cooperative demeanor.
8. Heavy lifting, use of multiple types of electronic and manual equipment and tools, ability to work in varied weather conditions.
VACANCIES
LABOURER
MASSAGE THERAPIST
JOB VACANCY
Andaz Turks and Caicos Residences at Grace Bay is a luxury boutique hotel nestled along the shore of the world’s number one beach Grace Bay. We are seeking determined and energetic professionals who provide discreet yet personalized and attentive service that well defines the Andaz Turks and Caicos experience.
COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION QUANTITY SURVEYOR MANAGER
You will be responsible for overseeing construction costing, risk assessments, pricing structure, preparing budget & cost value reports and precuring construction projects at the best interest of Andaz Turks and Caicos Residences’.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
• Supervises management of construction projects; monitors and coordinates work performed by architectural, engineering and construction firms.
• Inspects, approves, and accepts or rejects completed projects for the company, ensuring correction of deficiencies and that work is performed to conformance of established standards.
• Leads project delivery resources/team (typically larger more experienced team) providing project guidance and direction to achieve project goals.
• Responsible for inventory management and for enhancing operational efficiency.
• Track changes in design & specifications and ensuring compliance with project standards.
• Prepares, reviews & negotiates contracts, purchase orders and REQUIREMENTS
• A minimum of bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Commerce, Quantity Surveyor or related field required.
• Certifications in Commercial Management, Quantity Surveyor or any field
• A minimum of 10 years of professional experience
• Proof of completed projects in relation to hotels/resort in the past 10 years
• Work experience with a 5 star branded hotel, minimum of 2 completed project.
• Must be proficient in the use of “take off software” such as Plan-swift & Bluebeam, & Microsoft Project.
• In depth knowledge of international forms of contract including FIDIC & AIA suites
POSITIONS AVAILABLE
The Turks and Caicos Islands oldest and leading publishing house is in need of additional staff to fill the following posts:
WRITERS/ PHOTO JOURNALIST
Candidates must have at least five (5) years’ experience working full-time for daily newspapers and/or news/features magazines, reporting on hard news, features and parliamentary/court proceedings. Salary paid weekly will commensurate with experience.
FOR MAGAZINES AND OTHER PERIODICALS GRAPHICS PRODUCTION DESIGNER/ PAGINATOR
This position requires someone with at least five (5) years’ experience working with Macintosh or PC computers. Must be skilled in the make-up of advertising and pagination. Proficiency using InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop software for print is essential. Some technical, networking and web design knowledge an asset. Salary paid weekly will commensurate with experience.
COURT REPORTER
College or high school graduate with at least five (5) years’ experience in community reporting. Ability to drive and use a camera a desirable asset. Salary paid weekly will commensurate with experience.
ADVERTISING SPACE SALES PERSON
Candidates must have had actual hands-on experience selling advertising space for newspapers and magazines. Ability to assist clients with the writing of copy for ads and gathering of collateral an asset. Salary is commission based.
CASHIER
LABOURER
RENTAL/SALES ASSOCIATE
KVANAR LTD
is seeking a
SENIOR ESTIMATOR
POSITION OVERVIEW
Management of all construction Estimating and Tendering activities, responsible for overseeing the preparation and development of all Tender proposals based on company standard procedure. Liaising with the Managing Director regarding all work winning strategies and initiating the initial procurement of any secured projects. Develop all necessary procedures and processes to ensure the Tendering and Procurement departments operate efficiently and effectively in order to achieve their objectives.
To contribute to the development of the company’s corporate strategy and to lead, motivate & develop the Estimating and Procurement Team and to develop and maintain relationships with key Clients and other relevant bodies to maximise the company’s potential.
CORE JOB FUNCTIONS
• Conduct Initial tender document studies, identify the tender requirements, and conduct initial tender risk review with management for taking the decision to participate in the tender.
• Assign responsibilities and finalise the actions required for the preparation of the tender as per the tender requirements.
• Manage the process and ensure the assigned responsibilities are being performed as planned such as site visits, pre/mid bid meetings, tender queries/clarifications, requesting and receiving of quotations/prices from suppliers/subcontractors, quantity take offs etc.
• Organise and conduct interim tender review meetings with management to re-assess the information with focus on the specific Tender strategy.
• Review and verify the procurement packages, quotations from suppliers/subcontractors both technically and commercially and in line with the scope of work and Tender/Project requirements.
• Review and analyse all components of the cost estimate, and advise management of discounts and mark-up to complete the estimate.
• Identify risks and risk mitigation to be included within the estimated price or qualify the risk items in the tender.
• Prepare the ‘Bid Finalisation’ for final management review and adjudication along with details and backups of the estimate bu ild- up.
• Attend and chair the Tender adjudication
meeting to agree the final Tender strategy and Tender Sum.
• Ensure the preparation and submission of the bid including the priced BoQ, Commercial and Technical Tender clarifications incorporating the decisions of the Tender adjudication meeting within the tender final closing date.
• Receive and manage responses for post tender clarifications and conduct value engineering exercises where required.
• Conduct/conclude all post-tender negotiations with management.
• On award of Contract(s) organise, conduct and chair the Tender handover meetings with the Operations/Project Management Team.
• Conduct review meetings with both the Estimating and Operations team in order to identify the reasons for major deviations from the tender figure and the new figure agreed during IFC and Contract Document review.
• Establish and maintain the procurement plan for the initial buy-out of project materials and placing of subcontract orders.
• Assist with the joint procurement process (i.e. Contractor/Client expenditure of Project Provisional Sums).
• Record the lessons learnt and maintain a cost database with KPI’s for reference and feedback for future Tenders.
QUALIFICATIONS/EXPERIENCE NEEDED:
• Hold a minimum of 15 years experience in the field of construction estimation, biding and tendering. Caribbean and remote project Experience an Asset.
• Have a concise understanding of all construction materials and methodology.
• Excellent written and oral skills and advanced experience in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Take Off and Candy (CCS) Estimating Software.
• Must have the ability to easily read and understand construction drawings & plans and provide detailed take offs and bills of quantities for pricing from the same and have a good understanding of physical construction schedules.
• Be highly skilled and experienced in building up construction rates from first principles (not relying upon historic rates).
• Employee must be fluent in written and oral English.
Salary $90,000 per annum, plus company Cell Phone. Annual Bonus Scheme Offered based upon Employee and Company Performance.
PAINTER
LABOURER
BABYSITTER
DOMESTIC WORKER
CLEANER
Juba Sound, Providenciales Is seeking to
LTD
PROCUREMENT / PURCHASING OFFICER FOR
QUALIFICATIONS/EXPERIENCE NEEDED:
• Hold a minimum of 5 years’ experience in the purchasing of construction materials ranging from rough/first fix materials to finish/ final fix items.
• Have a concise understanding of all construction materials including, but not limited to, lumber & masonry products, windows, doors, hardware, appliances, cabinetry, electrical & plumbing materials, tiles, drywall, paint etc.
• Excellent written and oral skills and advanced experience in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and Plan swift (or equivalent) and able to create detailed purchasing schedules, financial analysists, procurement programs, take offs and reports.
• Must have the ability to easily read and understand construction drawings & plans and provide detailed take offs from the same and have a good understanding of physical construction schedules.
• Be willing to seek out new suppliers, negotiate competitive pricing and assist the office with purchase orders and monthly construction claims.
• Have experience in shipping logistics, preparing all necessary documentation to ship, receive and inventory materials ordered.
• Extensive experience in design build projects would be an asset as the employee will work closely with the design department in the development of future projects.
• Employee must be fluent in written and oral English. Other written and oral languages would be an asset (in particular French and Spanish).
• Salary Range Dependant on Individuals Qualifications and Experience, plus company Cell Phone. Annual Bonus Scheme Offered based upon Employee and Company Performance.
• Please email résumé and covering letter to info@kvanar.com and also deliver a copy to our main office at the following address: 390 Leeward Highway, Long Bay, Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands (Tel 649 333 2210).
• Islanders applying for this position are encouraged, in addition to providing a copy of their resume and covering letter to the company, to provide the same to the TCIG Labor Board & Immigration Board for consideration.
• Applicants should be aware that one of the requirements of the interview for this position will be for the candidate to provide a live demonstration of their ability to read construction drawings, operate take off software and produce associated schedules.
INFO@KVANAR.COM AND DELIVER A COPY TO OUR MAIN OFFICE AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS: 390 LEEWARD HIGHWAY, LONG BAY, PROVIDENCIALES, TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS (TEL 649 333 2210). PLEASE EMAIL RÉSUMÉ AND COVERING LETTER TO
Islanders applying for this position are encouraged, in addition to providing a copy of their resume and covering letter to the company, to provide the same to the TCIG Labor Board & Immigration Board for consideration.
Perform routine landscaping, painting, undertake light repairs, maintain trash and recycling receptacle. Re-arranging furnitures, lifting heavy loads, stone floors cleaning windows and treating pool.
Blue Hills, Providenciales / Breezy Brae, Grand Turk Is seeking to employ a
LABOURER
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
$10.00/hour.
• Currently work permit holder
•
•
•
• Must be a fully qualified time served electrician with 10 years minimum experience.
• Possess a minimum 5 years solar PV installation experience.
• Must hold an Advanced qualification in Renewable Energy systems (USSI PV201 or similar).
• Must have hands-on experience of installing grid tied, grid, interactive and off-grid renewable energy systems
• Familiar with CAD and can create and read engineering drawings.
• Computer literate and can operate
• Procurement and logistics of delivery of renewable energy systems. Oversee and maintain renewable energy systems.
• Review and research alternative new forms of renewable energy, suitable for this market.
• Perform a mock-up installation of a renewable energy system.
• Liaising with clients and consultants Salary: $12 hourly
NON OFFICIAL NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICE
HOLDINGS LTD. (IN VOLUNTARY LIQUIDATION) — company no TC.005460
NOTICE is hereby given that I have been appointed as voluntary liquidator of the above company.
Dated this 30th May 2024
Gordon R. Follmer 405 N. Old US 23, Brighton, MT 48144, USA TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS REGISTERED LAND ORDINANCE CAP 9.01 S.72
SECTION ISLAND 60900/378 Leeward Going Through Providenciales
To: DEMETRE ALEXANDER GREENE, DEBTOR and To BLONEVA GREENE, GUARANTOR Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands RE: CHARGE dated November 10, 2022, Charge registered November 11, 2022
This Notice is Published as a Supplement to the Gazette. Instrument Number: 3616/2022
AMOUNT OUTSTANDING as at May 17, 2024
Dated this 17th Day of May 2024 Ilibernian Trust Company Ltd
SERVICE TECHNICIAN
& EXPERIENCE:
• Minimum 10 Years working in IT Supervisory role. Specifically with IP networks, servers and desktops
• Strong Microsoft client and server OS skills including Active directory, DNS & DHCP
• Experience in Hotel Property management and Electronic systems
• Installation of conduit and cabling for various projects
• Able to multitask
• Attend to client needs 24/7 on call
• Installation of TV’s, CCTV, Speakers & Wifi
• Able to use a ladder up to 15 feet
• Physically fit and able to lift minimum 50 lbs QUALIFICATIONS:
• MCSE
• A+ • N+ • CCNA Salary: $3500
AIR CONDITION/ REFRIGERATION TECHNICIAN
Maximum o 5 years of experience in a luxury resort environment, assist in start-up, shut down, maintenance and operation of all HVAC/ Refrigeration equipment. Perform scheduled and non-scheduled maintenance on all heating, ventilation, aur conditioning and related equipment. Identify and troubleshoot problems. EPA License. Exceptional communication skills, must be able to regularly lift, push and/or move up to 50 pounds. Salary 26,880 per annum.
ASSISTANT MAÎTRE D
Minimum of 5 years of experience in a luxury resort environment. Greet guests and create a professional and positive image. Assist in preparing the menus and creating new dishes. Coordinate with kitchen staff to ensure that meals are served promptly and correctly. Wine knowledge and pairing and fine dining table services. Knowledge of dining etiquette and health and safety standards. Exceptional customer service skills, good communication skills, able to work as a team and pay attention to details. Salary $18,000 per annum.
SUNNY FOODS BLUE HILLS
BLUE HILLS, PROVIDENCIALES, TURKS AND CAICOS ISLAND CONTACT NO: 1649-946-2811
PURCHASER
• Must have prior experience purchasing Asian & American Products.
• Must be have prior experience with Quick Books 2020.
• Must be available to work on Holiday, Nights and weekends. Both Saturday and Sunday nights are required with a day off during the middle of the week.
• Must be have good communication skills in able to commutate with overseas vendors and logistics companies .
• Ensures orders are placed in timely manner, customer request are met quick and efficiently.
• Must have extensive knowledge on NCR 7456 or similar POS system.
• Setting up training programs for employees on proper merchandising and customer service skills.
• Most work is required by standing for long periods of time and working in an environment that is not air conditioned such as a dry warehouse.
• Salary $9.00 per hour.
• This position is for renewal and work permit application..
PRODUCE CLERK
• Responsible for doing Manual work
• Loading and unloading Container
• Knowledge on produce products and sanitary methods
• Should be physically fit to lift products 50lb or more.
• Being able to work at heights
• ommitted to work flexible hours, days, nights, weekends and holidays.
• Salary starts at $8.00 per hour
• For New work permit.
Interested applicants can email their resume to jobstci@alliedcaribbean.net or send their resume
EXECUTIVE CHEF
More than 5 years’ experience in a luxury hotel environment. Responsible for all kitchen operations. Develop unique and cuisine-appropriate menu. Assist and direct kitchen staff in meal preparation & creation. Responsible for preparing dishes, managing kitchen staff and inventory management. Cooperate with the Food and Beverage Manager for smooth operation. Advanced culinary skills including food preparation, flavor pairings and other cooking best practice Excellent comprehension and effective communication with others. Exceptional Leadership Skills, including motivation and goal setting. Salary 60,000 per annum.
EXECUTIVE HOUSEKEEPER
5 years’ experience in a luxury resort environment. Responsible for directing and controlling all housekeeping operations and the staff of the housekeeping department. Maintain housekeeping area and ensure that all tasks are carried out to the company standard and to health and safety guidelines. Supervise staff and develop and implement policies. Maintain inventory and supplies. Exceptional leadership skills, including motivation and goal setting. Must pay attention to detail. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Salary is $26, 400 per annum.
MAÎTRE D’
Minimum of 5 years of experience in a luxury resort environment. Assist in running the dining room operation and managing the front of house staff. Greet guests and create a professional and positive image. Assist in preparing the menus and creating new dishes. Wine knowledge and pairing and fine dining table services. Knowledge of dining etiquette and health and safety standards. Exceptional customer service skills, good communication skills, able to work as a team and pay attention to details. Salary $21,600 per annum.
SENIOR TRUST OFFICER
We are looking for an experienced Trust professional who has at least 10 years’ experience in a fast-paced international Trust business. Multijurisdictional experience preferred.
Coriats use the Viewpoint client and accounting system, so real and substantial experience of using Viewpoint (version 7) is essential for the role, and applicants will be required to demonstrate their abilities with Viewpoint as part of the application process.
The role will require experience of managing a team, and working to tight deadlines with international clients and institutions, as well as a strong awareness and significant practical experience of modern Trust legislation and Trustee compliance issues, especially AML, ATED, US and UK FATCA, and CRS.
The applicant will also be expected to be financially literate, and able to support the Finance Director and Managing Director in managing performance targets for the business. The applicant should also have some practical knowledge and understanding of accounting, investments and subscription agreements.
Applicants must have the TEP qualification, and significant experience in a large international trust company. Being part of a STEP committee would be an asset. Salary will be according to experience, but will be competitive with other international finance centers, and in a range from US$85,000.00 TO US$120,000.00.
QUALIFIED TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO SUBMIT LETTERS OF INTEREST AND DETAILED QUALIFICATIONS TO OFFICE@CORIATS.COM AS WELL AS THE LABOUR COMMISSIONER MARKED ‘SENIOR TRUST OFFICER’ AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS IS 31ST JULY, 2024. This position is currently held by a work permit holder.
NOTICE
Applications, REGISTERED GT 5304, GT 5305 AND GT 5306 by LUNA DEVELOPMENT for the PROPOSED PHASE ONE DEVELOPMENT WHICH CONSISTS OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF TWO-FOUR (4) BEDROOM VILLAS AND ONE-THREE (3) BEDROOM VILLA ON BLOCK & PARCEL 10101/26 LOT 1, LOT 4 AND LOT 10 WHICH ARE RESPECTIVELY.
LUNA DEVELOPMENT HAS CONTEMPLATED A MASTER RESORT DEVELOPMENT, TO BE CONSTRUCTED USING A PRE-ENGINEERED BUILDING STRUCTURE MANUFACTURED BY SUNSINO SOLUTIONS, WHICH COMPRISES OF EIGHTEEN (18) VILLAS OVERALL AND ANCILLARY ON BLOCK AND PARCEL 10101/26 LOCATED AT NORTH EAST SUBURBS, GRAND TURK.
These applications have been submitted to the Department of Planning for consideration of Development Permission on BLOCK & PARCEL 10101/26 LOT 1, LOT 4 AND LOT 10 RESPECTIVELY, WHICH IS 5.00 ACRES OF LAND LOCATED AT NORTH EAST SUBURBS, GRAND TURK.
Anyone wishing to make representation(s) may do so in writing to the Director of Planning, South Base, Grand Turk or through the Department of Planning, Emily House, Leeward Highway, Providenciales, within twenty-eight (28) days of publication of this Notice. You may also make representation(s) via video conferencing at the sitting of the Physical Planning Board when this application would be considered. If you are desirous so to do via video conferencing, contact the Secretary of Physical Planning Board.
DOMESTIC WORKER
1 STORE HELPER 1 DOMESTIC WORKER
The project engineer will be responsible for overseeing the planning, execution, and completion of construction projects in line with international standards. Their responsibilities include coordinating with architects, engineers, and contractors to ensure that the design specifications, budget, and timeline are met. They manage resources, handle logistics, and ensure compliance with safety regulations. Additionally, they resolve any technical issues that arise, facilitate communication between international stakeholders, and ensure that the project adheres to the highest quality standards. Their role is crucial in ensuring the successful delivery of the luxury hotel project.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
• The position of International Project Engineer consists of, but is not limited to, the following tasks and performances:
• Participate in project transfer meetings and shall consolidate project information into management form.
• Distribute the information to other members of the Daily Operations Team as required.
• Fully understand the project details and material requirements for the successful production process required to complete the project.
• Shall assist in obtaining, documenting and coordinating to the Operations Team, details that relate to shop production, material requirements and scheduling for the project.
• Assist in setting and managing the production schedule.
• Shall be responsible for the schedule coordination with the Installation Team.
• Ensure installation resource is compliant to CMD standards and practices.
• Develop a detailed project installation plan to track progress onsite.
• Use appropriate verification techniques to manage changes in project conditions compared to drawings and specifications.
• Measure project installation performance using appropriate systems, tools and techniques.
• Report and escalate to management as needed.
• Perform risk management to minimize project installation risks and injuries.
• Perform on site VIF and coordination documentation from the site to the Operations Team.
• Create and maintain other comprehensive project documentation. Requirements
• A minimum of bachelor’s degree in Project Management, Civil Engineering, Architecture, or related field required.
• Certifications in Project Management or any field
• A minimum of 10 years of professional experience
• Proof of completed projects in relation to hotels/resort in the past 10 years Salary: $90k to $120k per annum based on qualifications and
MAINTENANCE MANAGER
JOB PURPOSE:
The Maintenance Manager is responsible for managing the resort’s maintenance operation and performing highly diversified maintenance duties in support of the organization’s business goals and objectives.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES:
1. Plans, organizes, and manages the resort’s maintenance operations, which includes, but is not limited to: troubleshooting, installing, repairing and maintaining and monitoring the resort’s physical plant, utilities, health and safety systems and facilities (buildings – internal/external, restaurant, recreational, laundry, waste water treatment plant, lift stations and pumps, and filtration systems, pools), parking lots and pathways, grounds, vehicles (company vehicles, golf carts, bicycles), and related equipment
2. Works closely with the resort’s leadership to plan, develop and execute the organization’s short and long-term maintenance strategies. Provides leadership and vision to the maintenance department; coaches and supports the team; liaises with other department heads to ensure maintenance needs are met
3. Assigns, leads, directs, and performs maintenance tasks
4. Determines work procedures, prepares work schedules and expedites workflow
5. Monitors and manages the maintenance of the resort’s electrical, water, propane, pool, and waste water treatment plant in collaboration with the relevant providers, owners and management
6. Regularly reviews processes and procedures and amends as necessary to increase productivity and improve efficiencies
7. Collaborates with subcontractors on maintenance projects initiated by OCR and condo owners; inspects contractor work and ensures resort’s quality standards are maintained
8. Communicates with owners, guests, management and co-workers in a timely manner regarding maintenance needs, which may include assessing maintenance needs, obtaining/providing service, labor or parts/equipment quotes, taking photographs of damages, conducting inventory of unit as necessary
9. Manages, mentors and trains staff; establishes performance guidelines; evaluates departmental/staff performance; executes disciplinary actions as necessary in consultation and collaboration with the Project Manager and Human Resources Manager
10. Ensures maintenance policies and procedures are kept current and applicable
11. Audits and submits time, expense and work order reports to the accounting department as required
12. Responds to inquiries relative to maintenance issues, concerns, requests, procedures and projects in a timely manner
13. Assists in the assessment of vendors/contractors for resort/project consideration, then manages and monitors their standards of performance and work
14. Ensures maintenance team and other departments have cohesive working relationships
15. Ensures departmental compliance with the policies, procedures and guidelines of Ocean Club Resorts and TCIG health and safety regulations
16. Performs other duties as assigned by the immediate supervisor or any other person authorized to give instructions or assignments
Skills/Qualifications:
1. To perform this job successfully, individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily
2. High School Diploma, appropriate resort or building industry trade certification, plus relevant education and 3-5 years supervisory experience, preferably in a resort environment
3. Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate others
4. Thorough knowledge of hotel maintenance procedures, operations and equipment
5. Self-motivated and dependable with a strong work ethic and good problem solving skills
6. Strong communication and interpersonal skills; ability to speak, read and write fluently in English language
7. Professional appearance and demeanor
8. Computer literate with proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel and
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JOB VACANCY
INTERNATIONAL PROJECT ENGINEER
The project engineer will be responsible for overseeing the planning, execution, and completion of construction projects in line with international standards. Their responsibilities include coordinating with architects, engineers, and contractors to ensure that the design specifications, budget, and timeline are met. They manage resources, handle logistics, and ensure compliance with safety regulations. Additionally, they resolve any technical issues that arise, facilitate communication between international stakeholders, and ensure that the project adheres to the highest quality standards. Their role is crucial in ensuring the successful delivery of the luxury hotel project.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
• The position of International Project Engineer consists of, but is not limited to, the following tasks and performances:
• Participate in project transfer meetings and shall consolidate project information into management form.
• Distribute the information to other members of the Daily Operations Team as required.
• Fully understand the project details and material requirements for the successful production process required to complete the project.
• Shall assist in obtaining, documenting and coordinating to the Operations Team, details that relate to shop production, material requirements and scheduling for the project.
• Assist in setting and managing the production schedule.
• Shall be responsible for the schedule coordination with the Installation Team.
• Ensure installation resource is compliant to CMD standards and practices.
• Develop a detailed project installation plan to track progress onsite.
• Use appropriate verification techniques to manage changes in project conditions compared to drawings and specifications.
• Measure project installation performance using appropriate systems, tools and techniques.
• Report and escalate to management as needed.
• Perform risk management to minimize project installation risks and injuries.
• Perform on site VIF and coordination documentation from the site to the Operations Team.
• Create and maintain other comprehensive project documentation.
REQUIREMENTS
• A minimum of bachelor’s degree in Project Management, Civil Engineering, Architecture, or related field required.
• Certifications in Project Management or any field
• A minimum of 10 years of professional experience
• Proof of completed projects in relation to hotels/resort in the past 10 years
WE ARE LOOKING FOR:
FROZEN FOOD PICKER / STOCKER SUPERVISOR
• Provide the bulk of the customer service outside of the check stands.
• Supervise stockers with stocking, unloading delivery trucks and organizing stockrooms.
• Pick items for customers order
LABOURERS
• Responsible for doing Manual work
• Loading and unloading Container
• Assisting in stocking shelves
PRODUCE CLERKS
• Stock the shelves with produce product and fill it back up when it sells
• Replenish produce stocks and goods on the on display shelf
• Physically able to reach ,stretch, bend, and walk during work hours
FROZEN FOOD PICKERS /STOCKERS
• Stock the shelves with frozen product and fill it back up when it sells
• Pick items for customers order
• Physically able to reach ,stretch, bend, and walk during work hours
BUTCHERS
• Cutting, grinding and preparing meats for sale.
• Cleaning and maintaining tools and equipment.
• Weighing, packaging, pricing, and displaying products.
• Performing quality inspections on meats and other products.
WAREHOUSE SUPERVISORS
• Achieving high levels of customer satisfaction through excellence in receiving, identifying, dispatching and assuring quality of goods.
• Measuring and reporting the effectiveness of warehousing activities and employees performance
• Organizing and maintaining inventory and storage area
STORE CLERKS
• Handles a variety of customer inquiries.
• Improve a customer's experience.
• Complete transactions, process returns, issue rain checks and answer any questions a customer has.
REQUIREMENTS:
• Able to lift 50 pounds
• In an 8-hour workday: stand or walk between 6-8 hours
• The ability to work in a wet and/or cold environment (Minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit or minus 23 degree Celsius)
• Flexible schedule including working nights, weekends, and holidays as needed
• A positive attitude. Show up on time
• Only call out sick on very rare occasions when you are sick
• Being flexible on what days and hours you can work
• The willingness to do any job that is needed even if it is not “technically” part of your job description
Five Cays Access Road, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Island
SUNNY FOOD STORE CASH AND CARRY
F IVE CAYS
SOUTH DOCK, PROVIDENCIALES CONTACT: 1649-946-2811
GROCERY STOCK CLERKS
• Stock the shelves with product and restock goods when needed.
• Maintain store outlook throughout the day, doing what’s called “facing” or “fronting”
• Provide the majority of customer service outside of the check stands.
• Product direction, offer product suggestions and maybe even cooking tips
• Assist with unloading delivery trucks and organizing stockrooms.
SALES CLERKS
• Perform checkout process for customers.
• Handle money, answer customer questions, bag items or oversee selfcheckout areas.
MEAT ROOM HELPERS
• Work in the grocery stores’ meat section.
• Cut and prepare meat and poultry.
• Take special orders, make product recommendations and provide customer service.
SHIPPING AND RECEIVING CLERKS
• Receiving the delivery trucks and sending products to departments for stocking.
INVENTORY CONTROL SPECIALIST
• Perform inventory management.
• Track and maintain inventory and adjust orders based on demand and quality.
• Work closely with loss prevention specialists to develop procedures to prevent loss.
CUSTODIAN
• Maintain the overall appearance and cleanliness of the grocery store.
• Cleaning bathrooms, floors and spills in the store.
• Assist with larger cleaning projects, such as washing windows or waxing floors.
CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
• Address various customer inquiries.
• Improve a customer’s experience.
• Complete transactions, process returns and issue rain checks.
REQUIREMENTS:
• Able to lift 50 pounds
• In an 8-hour workday: stand or walk between 6-8 hours
• The ability to work in a wet and/or cold environment
• Flexible schedule including working nights, weekends, and holidays as needed
• The ability to use tools and equipment, such as box cutters, electric pallet jacks, and other machinery
• A positive attitude
• Show up on time
• Only call out sick on very rare occasions when you are really sick
• Being flexible on what days and hours you can work
• The willingness to do any job that is needed even if it’s not “technically” part of your job description
For First Time and Renewal Work Permit Holders. Wages start at $8.00 hourly.
Is looking for applicants for the following positions:
HOUSEMAN (VACANT) PROPERTY SERVICE ATTENDANT (VACANT) ROOM ATTENDANT (VACANT)
All positions involve strenuous physical labour, which requires being able and willing to perform heavy lifting, and other physically demanding functions. Must be able to speak English fluently. Preference will be given to someone with previous resort experience.
All applicants must be able to present a clean Police Record if offered a position. Wage commensurate with experience. Individuals must be willing to work holidays and weekends on a flexible schedule dictated by business demands.
SUNNY FOOD STORE CASH AND CARRY FIVE CAYS
SALES CLERK
• Promoting and selling the company’s products and services using excellent sales skills and customer service and developing return customer relationships
• Greeting customers, promoting customer awareness of sales and store promotions, providing customer service, directing customers to merchandise, cross-selling and increasing purchase sales
• Standing for extended period of time
• Committed to work flexible hours, days, nights, weekends and holidays.
• Able to safely lift boxes
• Salary $8.00 per hour.
• This position is for renewal and for first time work permit application.
LABOURER(S)
• Responsible for doing manual work
• Loading and unloading Container
• Assisting in stocking shelves
• Should be physically fit to lift products 50lb or more.
• Being able to work at heights
• Committed to work flexible hours, days, nights, weekends and holidays.
• Salary $8.00 per hour.
• This position is for renewal and for first time work permit application.
LOGISTIC CLERK
• Coordinate and oversee logistics operations in the grocery store
• Manage inventory levels, including ordering and restocking products
• Ensure accurate and timely receiving and checking of deliveries
• Coordinate with suppliers and vendors for smooth logistics operations
• Organize and maintain proper storage and arrangement of products in the store
• Monitor and control stock levels to prevent shortages or excess inventory
• Collaborate with other departments to optimize logistics processes
• Prepare and update reports on inventory levels, shipping, and logistics activities
• Ensure compliance with safety and sanitation regulations in handling and storing products
• Committed to work flexible hours, days, nights, weekends and holidays.
• Salary $9.00 per hour.
• This position is for first time work permit application
South Dock Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Island Contact No: 1649-9462811
TURKS
PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHER
VACANCIES
WMW CONSTRUCTION
TILE LAYER
$9-12 Hourly
Install materials on floors, walls, ceiling. CARPENTER
$10 Hourly
Install structure, cabinets, etc.
354 Blue Hills/345-6297
RPJ COMPANY LTD.
CAR WASHER
$8 Hourly
Cleaning inside and outside cars, etc.
511 Blue Hills/347-2093
TROPICAL BAR
KITCHEN HELPER
$8 Hourly
Clean pots, meats, assist chef. North Side/241-0426
New/Renewal Belongers only
PUBLIC NOTICE
AND CAICOS ISLANDER STATUS APPLICATION
( SECTION 4(3) OF THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDER STATUS ORDINANCE)
Take notice that I, Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam, Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands in exercise of the powers conferred in me by Section 6(4) of the Turks and Caicos Islander Status Ordinance intend to grant a Certificate of Turks and Caicos Islander Status to Dwyane Albert Krzanowski by virtue of marriage to a Turks and Caicos Islander.
TURKS
PUBLIC NOTICE
AND CAICOS
ISLANDER STATUS APPLICATION
( SECTION 4(3) OF THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDER STATUS ORDINANCE)
Take notice that I, Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam, Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands in exercise of the powers conferred in me by Section 6(4) of the Turks and Caicos Islander Status Ordinance intend to grant a Certificate of Turks and Caicos Islander Status to Garfield Christopher Dennie by virtue of marriage to a Turks and Caicos Islander.
Public Appeal
The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force is appealing to any member of public who may have any information on any crimes. They can contact Chalk Sound Police Station on 338-5901 or make use of the confidential reporting system through Crimestoppers on 1-800-8477.
PUBLIC NOTICE
TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDER STATUS APPLICATION
( SECTION 4(3) OF THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDER STATUS ORDINANCE)
Take notice that I, Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam, Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands in exercise of the powers conferred in me by Section 6(4) of the Turks and Caicos Islander Status Ordinance intend to grant a Certificate of Turks and Caicos Islander Status to SOrane Andrew Cockett by virtue of marriage to a Turks and Caicos Islander.
TURKS
PUBLIC NOTICE
AND CAICOS ISLANDER STATUS APPLICATION
( SECTION 4(3) OF THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDER STATUS ORDINANCE)
Take notice that I, Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam, Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands in exercise of the powers conferred in me by Section 6(4) of the Turks and Caicos Islander Status Ordinance intend to grant a Certificate of Turks and Caicos Islander Status to Mabel Beltre Beltre Rigby by virtue of marriage to a Turks and Caicos Islander.
PUBLIC NOTICE
TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDER STATUS APPLICATION
( SECTION 4(3) OF THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDER STATUS ORDINANCE)
Take notice that I, Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam, Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands in exercise of the powers conferred in me by Section 6(4) of the Turks and Caicos Islander Status Ordinance intend to grant a Certificate of Turks and Caicos Islander Status to Ochel Mizaine by virtue of marriage to a Turks and Caicos Islander.
GENERAL PRACTITIONER
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
• Minimum of M.B.B.S. or a Medical Doctor Degree from an accredited University
• Minimum of 5 years work experience in a Primary Health Care setting and a minimum of 3 years working in a Secondary Health Care institution
• Minimum of 5 years registered Medical Practitioner on a register of a recognized Medical Board.
MAIN DUTIES
• Patient consultations and examinations
• Diagnosis and treatment of illness/ailments
• Manage acute and chronic illnesses, patient education
• Order laboratory/ diagnostic tests
• Perform minor procedures
• Liaise with healthcare professionals and/or hospitals
• Computer knowledge –experience using EMR files
ONLY
649-941-5252
BARTENDER
VACANCIES
J & V CONTRUCTION
Millennium Highway 203 242-2880 LABOURER
$8.00
To carry out and assist with continuous maintenance work, painting apartment interior & exterior and assist with construction work site
TILE LAYER $ 8.00 LAYING TILE AND GROU OUT ADVANCE CLEANING SOLUTIONS
Cherokee road 341-3582 JANITOR
$8.00
Cleaning the offices, desk, windows, bathroom and maintain cleanness of the property
Cays
$8.00
Cleaning the property, pick up waste and dispose waste and maintain cleanliness of properties
EVAN MCDONALD CLARE
JUBA Sound 244-9710 DOMESTIC WORKER
Caring for my household, wash, iron, clean and cook
PICK IT UP RESTUARENT 342-9278 Kew town KITCHEL HELPER preparing the workstation for the cook, sorting and distributing ingredients, keeping the kitchen clean
J & C CONSTRUCTION
Kew Town 242-8244
LABOURER
$8.00
To carry out and assist with continuous maintenance work, painting apartment interior & exterior and assist with construction work site
MENACIEUX LEROY 331-7188
Long Bay hills
DOMESTIC WORKER
$8.00 (work 5 day a week)
Caring for my house, clean, wash, iron and caring for my young son LABOURER $ 8.00
Cleaning the property, pick up waste and dispose waste and assist with ongoing construction o the property
MISSICK WEAR 331-6603
203 Regent village
SALES CLERK
$9.00
Welcoming customers, assisting customer customers, put clothes on display and maintain the store.
H2O life.style.resort is looking for well-rounded professionals to provide bar services at its luxury resort. We are seeking to fulfil two positions at our beachfront bar, a full and a part time position.
This role requires a range of duties, including but not limited to, providing drinks, responsible for inventory, reporting daily sales, and bar purchases.
The applicant must have a minimum 3-year experience in a similar position, should be familiar with all cocktail recipes, bar cleaning & maintenance and have good time management skills.
Must be fluent in English and have good communication skills. A valid driver license is required.
PUBLIC NOTICE
TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDER STATUS APPLICATION
( SECTION 4(3) OF THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDER STATUS ORDINANCE)
Take notice that I, Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam, Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands in exercise of the powers conferred in me by Section 6(4) of the Turks and Caicos Islander Status Ordinance intend to grant a Certificate of Turks and Caicos Islander Status to Racquel Rosemarie Roxanne Richards-Seymour by virtue of marriage to a Turks and Caicos Islander.
Science & Technology
Your fat could burn itself, say scientists in weight-loss breakthrough
Weight loss can be tricky, but scientists might have finally found a way to help: a cheat code for burning calories without exercising or changing your diet. And it all comes down to a fat-burning mechanism you already have in your body known as ‘beige fat’.
Of course, exercise and diet are still two of the most crucial factors. But a team of researchers at UC San Francisco in the USA have discovered a way of turning ordinary white fat cells into beige fat cells.
While these sound like two sides of the same coin, there’s a difference. Lots of mammals, including humans, have three types of fat cells: white, brown and beige. White cells store calories for energy, brown fat cells burn energy to release heat and beige ones
combine both tasks.
By switching from white to beige, the body could effectively be burning fatty cells naturally without assistance.
While the discovery is based on tests on mice, it could lead to the development of a new class of weight-loss drugs and even explain why clinical trials of related therapies haven’t been successful.
Researchers have long believed that creating beige fat requires starting from stem cells. The new study, which was published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, demonstrated that ordinary white fat cells can transition into beige fat just by limiting the production of a certain protein known as KLF15.
“A lot of people thought this
and diet are still two of the most crucial factors
wasn’t feasible,” said Brian Feldman, Professor in Pediatric Endocrinology at the University of California and senior author of the study. “We showed not only that this approach works to turn these white fat cells into beige ones, but also that the bar to doing so isn’t as high as we’d thought.”
KLF-15 plays a role in metabolism and the function of fat cells. Feldman and his team investigated how the protein functions in mice, which retain brown fat throughout their lives.
They found that KLF-15 was much less abundant in white fat cells than in brown or beige fat cells.
The team bred mice with white fat cells that lacked KLF-15 and discovered that these mice converted the cells from white to beige. Not only could they make that switch, but without the protein the default setting became beige.
So why does KLF-15 have this effect? Using cultured human fat cells, the team discovered that the protein controls the abundance of a receptor called Adrb1, which
helps to maintain natural energy balances.
Previous research used drugs to target the similar Adrb3 receptor in mice. This caused the mice to lose weight, but human trials had disappointing results.
According to the team, a drug that targets the Adrb1 receptor is much more likely to work and could have advantages over current weight-loss drugs. Mainly, it could limit the number of side effects and could have longer-lasting effects. (BBC)
High-speed hippos can get airborne, says new study
Hippos can get airborne when moving at high speeds over land, according to a new study.
This is the first time that the animals, which can weigh more than 2,000 kilograms (2.2 tons) and spend much of their time in water, have been found to lift all four limbs off the ground when moving quickly, according to a statement from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) in the UK.
After analysing videos showing 169 movement cycles from 32 hippos, researchers found that the fastest-moving animals spend around 15% of each stride off the ground.
John Hutchinson, study lead author and a professor of evolutionary biomechanics at the RVC, told CNN that very little was known about the way that hippos move on land.
“Hippos were a big missing part of the puzzle,” he said. “They’re really hard to study.”
the two other diagonal limbs – no matter what speed they are moving at, whereas other mammals such as horses switch from a walk to a trot to a gallop depending on their speed.
“Hippos are one of the very few four legged animals at all that just trot,” said Hutchinson. “That was a pretty neat finding.”
The results could help inform the way that hippos are kept in captivity, as well as helping to detect and monitor whether hippos are suffering physical issues, said Huntchinson.
One sample video that showed a baby pygmy hippo galloping has provided Hutchinson with a jumping off point for future research, he said, adding he wants to investigate whether small hippos, such as baby hippos and baby pygmy hippos, are able to gallop but lose this ability when they grow.
The study was published Wednesday in the journal PeerJ. (CNN) Not only do they spend a lot of time in water, they are “very aggressive and dangerous” and are more active at night, said Hutchinson. In the videos studied by researchers, hippos tended to move fast when something motivated them, such as chasing a rival hippo or being chased by lions or rhinos, he said. The team also found that hippos almost exclusively trot – with two diagonal limbs moving in the same direction at the same time, and then
Exercise
Researchers found that all four of a hippo’s limbs leave the ground when they trot at high speeds
Science & Technology
How record-breaking Hurricane Beryl is a sign of a warming world
Hurricane Beryl is wreaking havoc in parts of the Caribbean – and putting the role of climate change under the spotlight.
With maximum sustained wind speeds of more than 160mph (257km/h), it became the earliest category five Atlantic hurricane in records going back around 100 years.
In fact, there has only been one previous recorded case of a category five Atlantic hurricane in July – Hurricane Emily, on 16 July 2005.
The causes of individual storms are complex, making it difficult to fully attribute specific cases to climate change.
But exceptionally high sea surface temperatures are seen as a key reason why Hurricane Beryl has been so powerful.
Usually, such strong storms only develop later in the season, after the seas have heated up through the summer.
Hurricanes generally need the sea surface to be at least 27C in order to have a chance of developing. As the map below shows, waters along Hurricane Beryl’s path have been much warmer than this.
All else being equal, warmer seas mean more powerful hurricanes, because the storms can pick up more energy, enabling higher wind speeds.
“We know that as we warm the planet, we’re warming our sea surface temperatures as well,” explains Andra Garner, an assistant professor at Rowan University in the US.
“And we know that those warm ocean waters are a critical fuel source for hurricanes.”
In the main Atlantic hurricane
development region, the ocean heat content – the energy stored throughout the water column - is at levels not usually seen until September.
That is when the Atlantic hurricane season is usually at its most active, as the sea surface is typically at its warmest at the end of summer.
This is illustrated by the chart below, where a dot represents a major hurricane between 1940 and 2024. As you can see, most major hurricanes happen in late August and September, and earlier ones are very rare.
While a category five hurricane is unheard of this early in the season, its strength fits into the broader picture of how these storms are changing in a warming world.
The number of hurricanes has not been increasing, but a higher proportion of them are expected to reach the highest categories globally as temperatures rise.
“Although it is uncertain to what extent climate change contributed to the early formation of Hurricane Beryl, our climate models suggest that the mean intensity of hurricanes will increase in the future due to enhanced global warming,” explains Hiroyuki Murakami, research scientist at Noaa’s Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory.
Another factor to consider this year is regional weather patterns.
El Niño inhibits the formation of strong hurricanes in the Atlantic, because of the way it affects winds in the atmosphere. The opposite phase, known as La Niña, favours
Atlantic hurricane development.
Currently, there are “neutral” conditions – neither El Niño nor La Nina. But La Niña conditions are expected later this year.
This likely transition – as well as rising sea temperatures through July and August – has led to concerns that even more powerful hurricanes could form later in the season.
“Hurricane Beryl sets a precedent for what we fear is going to be a very, very active, very dangerous hurricane season, which will impact the entire Atlantic basin,” says Ko Barrett, Deputy Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization.
In May, the US weather agency Noaa warned an “extraordinary” Atlantic hurricane season could be in store, forecasting between
four and seven major hurricanes –category three (111mph) or above - between June and November. On average, the Atlantic is hit by three major hurricanes a year.
RAPID INTENSIFICATION
Meteorologists and climate scientists have also remarked about how quickly Hurricane Beryl strengthened.
It took just 42 hours to go from a tropical depression –with maximum sustained wind speeds of 38mph or less - to a major hurricane (meaning above 111mph).
“What makes Beryl particularly notable is that it [...] intensified the fastest from a tropical depression to a hurricane [of any Atlantic hurricane in June or early July],” explains Shuyi Chen, professor of atmospheric science at the University of Washington.
Hurricane Beryl is an example of “rapid intensification” - where maximum wind speeds increase very quickly. It can be especially dangerous, because communities have less time to prepare.
The frequency and magnitude of these rapid intensification events in the Atlantic appears to have increased in recent decades.
“Unprecedented as Beryl is, it actually very much aligns with the kinds of extremes we expect in a warmer climate,” Dr Garner says.
“As we’re warming the planet, we’re essentially “stacking the deck” of extreme events against ourselves, making events like Hurricane Beryl not only possible, but more likely.”
“It’s up to us to reduce our emissions to change that story.” (BBC)
The US government will pay the vaccine maker Moderna $176 million to accelerate development of a pandemic influenza vaccine that could be used to treat bird flu in people, as concern grows about cases in dairy cows across the country, federal officials announced Tuesday.
Moderna already has a bird flu vaccine in very earlystage testing that uses the same mRNA technology that allowed rapid development and rollout of vaccines to protect against COVID-19. The new funds from
the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services include continued development of the vaccine, including a late-stage trial next year if those early study results are positive.
But the project can be quicky redirected to target another form of influenza if a different threat than the H5N1 form of bird flu emerges, HHS officials stressed.
The award was made through the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, or BARDA, a program that focuses on medical treatments for potential
Hurricane Beryl devastated St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Science & Technology
Healthy habit shown to lower dementia risk by 33%
About 5.8m people in the United States were living with Alzheimer’s disease, a form of dementia, in 2020 — a number that is expected to triple by 2060, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
It’s a sobering fact, and sadly, age is the most significant risk factor, something we can’t control.
Scientists are still learning about what causes Alzheimer’s, including why women develop the disease in greater numbers. However, some factors, such as lifestyle habits, may play a role. In a way, that’s good news. It means we have some power to take the reins of our brain health.
One habit in particular can significantly reduce dementia risk, according to research.
It might surprise you, but a Cleveland Clinic neuropsychologist agrees and offers ways to make this habit part of your routine.
LOWERING DEMENTIA RISK
You might think of exercise as something that can benefit your heart, lungs and muscles — and it can. However, it’s also great for your brain and cognitive health.
In fact, one study conducted on nearly 650,000 veterans who implemented an exercise treadmill test as part of their routine care showed 33 percent lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders later in life. The authors concluded that cardiorespiratory fitness is associated with lower dementia odds as people age.
A Cleveland Clinic neuropsychologist agrees that
moving the body benefits the mind.
“Research has shown that getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week is the key to the best brain health with aging,” says Jessica Caldwell, director of the Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement Prevention Center at the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health.
“Less is more” has its place in certain situations. However, Caldwell says that going above and beyond the weekly exercise recommendations might be beneficial.
“For younger folks or people who’ve been physically active in the past or consistently throughout their life, getting up to 300 minutes or doing more vigorous exercise could be even more beneficial for the brain,” Caldwell says. “It’s a balance as we age between physical fitness and injury prevention and getting that good aerobic workout to benefit not just heart health but brain health.”
RECOMMENDED WORKOUT
While the research focused on running on a treadmill, Caldwell says that many people may have pain and mobility issues, especially as they age, that keep them from taking on such a workout. Her suggestion? Dive into a lowerimpact alternative that will still get your heart, lungs and brain working.
“One excellent exercise as we age is swimming,” Caldwell says. “Swimming is an exercise where you eliminate some essential concerns with other types of exercise.”
For starters, the risk of falling is lower.
“You have the water supporting you,” Caldwell says. “Even if you’re walking or running in a swimming lane, you’re still doing that in a way that’s safer if your balance could be an issue.
“It’s also less impact,” she adds. “As we age, even people who have been very strong athletes in the past
may have accumulated injuries that make intense exercise too much for the joints or they may have active injuries. Swimming offers another way for people who want to be physically active, even at a high level, to do that in a way that can be gentler on the body.”
OTHER HABITS FOR LOWERING RISK
Get enough sleep: “Sleep can be a big challenge,” Caldwell says. “If you’re a person who has had average sleep throughout your life, the first thing to do might be to look at your sleep habits. Are you going to bed and waking up at a similar time each day and night? Are you watching TV or looking at videos on a phone right before bed? Are you drinking coffee or a lot of water right before bed?”
Evaluating whether your bedroom is dark and quiet can also help. Some people may benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy to assess and tweak their sleep hygiene habits. Additionally, a
sleep study can help flag issues such as sleep apnea.
Maintain a healthy diet: The brain is an organ like the heart, and diet can benefit it. “With nutrition, the goal for brain health is to minimize processed foods and maximize whole foods,” Caldwell says. “Things (you can get in) a drive-thru, oftentimes, are not going to be your friend when it comes to brain health for life.”
Caldwell says frequently recommended foods for brain health are those found on a Mediterranean or MIND diet meal plan. The MIND diet combines the popular and science-backed Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay diets. A 2021 study indicated that it could assist with cognitive resilience as people age.
“Examples of foods there would be healthy fatty fish, high levels of green vegetables, green leafy vegetables, fruits, nuts and olive oil,” Caldwell says.
Give the mind a workout: Yes, physical activity is good for the brain. But so are “brain games.” A 2023 study in JAMA Geriatrics linked lower dementia risk with engagement in activities that challenge the brain, such as crossword puzzles, chess and journaling.
“The key is challenging learning, and that depends on your achievement levels throughout life, attention and interest,” Caldwell says.
For some, that might come from a job. For others who are retired, that might mean learning a new language or instrument. (Review Journal.com)
Carpenter ants amputate the legs of their nestmates to save their lives, study says
Humans aren’t the only ones capable of performing amputations to save lives.
Florida carpenter ants have been observed biting off the injured limbs of nestmates, depending on the location of the wounds, to help their counterparts survive, according to a new study.
About 90% to 95% of the ants receiving amputations make it through the process and continue with their duties within the nest just fine despite losing a leg, researchers found.
The study, published Tuesday in the journal Current Biology, builds on previous findings released in 2023 by the same international team of scientists.
That research found a different ant species called Matabele ants, or Megaponera analis, use their
One
carpenter ant can be seen cleaning the wound of another ant
mouths to secrete antimicrobial compounds to cleanse injuries and prevent potential infections. The compounds are produced by what’s known as metapleural glands.
Most ants have these glands.
But over time, some species — including Camponotus floridanus, also known as carpenter ants —
have evolutionarily lost them.
Most of the ant species lacking metapleural glands are arboreal, which means they live in trees, said lead study author Erik Frank, a behavioral ecologist at the University of Würzburg in Germany’s state of Bavaria. “We think that their arboreal
lifestyle might expose them to less pathogens than colonies living underground,” Frank said.
Frank and his colleagues had planned to keep studying the Matabele ants on the Ivory Coast when the pandemic struck. As a result, the team shifted to study the common carpenter ants available in its lab.
“I wanted to see how an ant species that cannot use antimicrobial compounds to treat wounds would care for their injured,” Frank said.
The researchers weren’t prepared for what they observed: a type of surgical intervention previously only seen in humans.
INJURY-PRONE ANTS
Reddish-brown Florida carpenter ants, which reach about 1.5
centimeters (about three-fifths of an inch) in length, can be found nesting in rotting wood throughout the southeastern United States. They have to defend their nests against rival ant colonies, which can result in injuries.
Study coauthor Dany Buffat, a graduate student at Switzerland’s University of Lausanne, first observed the ants carrying out the wound cleaning and amputation measures.
“The biggest surprise clearly was the fact that they do amputations in the first place,” Frank said. “I never expected this and in fact when our (master’s student) Dany Buffat first described the behavior to me, I did not believe it. Only when he showed me the videos did I truly appreciate what we had stumbled upon.” (CNN)
Exercise is great for your brain and cognitive health
James reportedly agrees to two-year, $104m contract with the Lakers
LeBron James has reportedly signed a two-year, $104 million maximum contract to return to the Los Angeles Lakers, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
The deal reportedly includes a no-trade clause and a player option for the 2025-26 season, giving James, 39, control over his future after next season.
CNN has reached out to the Lakers for confirmation and comment.
The deal means the four-time NBA champion and his son Bronny James, who was selected 55th by the Lakers in the 2024 Draft, will become the first father-son duo in
league history to play together after James Jr. signed a four-year, $7.9 million contract with the franchise on Wednesday.
James is widely considered to be one of the two greatest NBA players in history – alongside Michael Jordan – and last season, he became the first player to reach 40,000 career points.
James, a four-time NBA MVP, also tops the all-time playoff scoring leaderboard with 8,162 points.
Last season, he also became the first player to be selected for 20 All-Star appearances, surpassing the record he had jointly held with Lakers legend Kareem AbdulJabbar.
McLaughlin-Levrone breaks world record for fifth time
Defending Olympic champion
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone broke her own 400m hurdles world record as she qualified for the Paris Olympics on Sunday at the US trials in Oregon.
McLaughlin-Levrone, 24, recorded a time of 50.65 seconds, which was 0.03secs faster than her previous best when she won the World Championships at the same
track in 2022. She was almost two seconds ahead of second-placed Anna Cockrell, who ran 52.64secs.
It was the fifth time she has broken the world record.
“I wasn’t expecting that time,” she said. “It’s super encouraging, knowing that more is there.”
Elsewhere, Shericka Jackson qualified for the 200m at the Paris
Games by retaining the Jamaican Championship title.
Double world champion Jackson, 29, who had already qualified for the 100m, recorded a season’s best of 22.29secs on Sunday.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce chose not to compete in the 200m at the championships after finishing third in the 100m on Friday. (BBC)
Kohli, Rohit and Jadeja retire from T20 internationals
India legends Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja have retired from T20 internationals following their World Cup triumph in Barbados.
Kohli was man of the match for his 76 and Rohit became the first India captain to lift a World Cup since 2011 following the captivating seven-run defeat of South Africa.
Rohit, 37, and 35-year-old Kohli are number one and two respectively on the all-time list of T20 international run-scorers.
“I’ve loved every moment of this,” said Rohit. “I started my India career playing this format. This is what I wanted. I wanted to win the cup and say thank you.”
On former captain Kohli, Rohit said: “He’s been a champion player
without a doubt. We all know what he has done for us.
“At some point everyone has to say goodbye to the game and Virat was very clear that this is what he wanted to do.”
Jadeja, 35, wrote on Instagram on Sunday: “Like a steadfast horse galloping with pride, I’ve always given my best for my country and will continue to do so in other formats.
“Winning the T20 World Cup was a dream come true, a pinnacle of my T20 international career. Thank you for the memories, the cheers, and the unwavering support.”
All three men will continue to be available for India in Tests and one-day internationals. (BBC) Virat Kohli and
Rohit Sharma are the two leading run-scorers in men’s T20 internationals
Lebron James will be 40 years old in December
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has won three World Championships gold medals
Sports International
Man Utd trigger one-year extension to Ten Hag deal
Manchester United have triggered a one-year extension in Erik ten Hag’s contract to keep him at the club until 2026.
The Dutchman’s previous deal, which he signed when he was appointed in 2022, was due to expire in 2025.
Ten Hag, who joined United from Ajax, has won two trophies in two years at Old Trafford.
“I am very pleased to have reached agreement with the club to continue working together,” said the 54-year-old.
“Looking back at the past two years, we can reflect with pride on two trophies and many examples of progression from where we were when I joined.”
Ten Hag stressed “we must also be clear that there is still lots of hard work ahead”.
United finished third in the Premier League during Ten Hag’s first season at the club as the Dutchman ended the club’s six-year wait for silverware with victory against Newcastle in the Carabao Cup final.
But the Dutchman’s second season was far more difficult as United finished eighth in the Premier League and were knocked out of the Champions League group stages.
A 2-1 victory against Manchester City in May’s FA Cup final proved vital to Ten Hag keeping his job.
The club, led by co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe following his investment last December, conducted a review of the team’s performance across the season following the victory at
Wembley.
The review saw United speak to potential replacements for Ten Hag but it was eventually decided that the Dutchman deserved to keep his job in order to work under a new, improved structure.
Ratcliffe has overhauled the club’s board structure since taking a 27.7% in the club.
Jason Wilcox, Omar Berrada, Sir Dave Brailsford and Dan Ashworth have all joined in senior positions.
“This group of players and staff have already shown they are capable of competing and winning at the top level; now we need to do it more consistently,” said sporting director Ashworth.
“With our strengthened football
Murray celebrated as Wimbledon farewell begins with defeat
Andy Murray was given an emotional farewell after his final appearance at Wimbledon began with a straight-set defeat alongside older brother Jamie in the men’s doubles.
The two-time singles champion is playing at the All England Club for the last time before retiring later this year.
“It is hard because I want to keep playing, but I can’t,” Murray, who won Wimbledon in 2013 and 2016, told former BBC presenter Sue Barker on Centre Court.
“Physically it’s too tough now. I want to play forever. I love the sport.”
The Murray brothers arrived on to Centre Court – which had not hosted a first-round men’s doubles match since 1995 – to a standing ovation.
Another followed moments after they lost 7-6 (8-6) 6-4 to Australian pair John Peers and Rinky Hijikata.
A video montage of Andy Murray’s career was played on the big screen after the match, leaving the former world number one in tears as the thousands of fans showed their appreciation in an elongated ovation.
Murray’s parents Judy and Willie, his wife Kim and two of
retires from athletics after ankle injury
leadership team now in place, we are looking forward to working hand-in-hand with Erik to achieve our shared ambitions for this football club.”
United are in talks with Ten Hag to restructure his backroom staff.
Former United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, who was PSV Eindhoven manager from 2022-23, is expected to return to Old Trafford as part of a revamped coaching set-up alongside Go Ahead Eagles manager Rene Hake.
Former Chelsea technical director Christopher Vivell also joins United as director of global talent on a short-term deal to assist during the current transfer window, with an extended stay not ruled out. (BBC)
British sprint hurdler Andrew Pozzi has announced “with great sadness” that he is retiring from athletics following “a serious ankle fracture”.
British Athletics said, external the 32-year-old was set to be picked for the 2024 Olympics in Paris but he has turned down his selection “following the outcome of detailed scans and tests”.
Pozzi won the World Indoor 60m hurdles title in Birmingham in 2018 and, in 2017, he also claimed the European indoor 60m title.
“After missing the 2023 season with serious injury, I have battled exceptionally hard to return to the world stage and earnt my place at what would have been my fourth Olympic Games,” Pozzi wrote in a social media post., external
“Unfortunately, as I continued to build and improve upon my 13.23s clocking in Montgeron, my body
gave way in training to another serious ankle fracture.”
Pozzi added that injury had been his “greatest competitor” during his career and that he was “most proud of the resilience that I’ve shown and the achievements that I’ve amassed following such heartbreaks”.
His best time in the 110m hurdles was 13.14s and he represented Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the Olympics in London in 2012, Rio 2016 and the delayed Tokyo Games in 2021.
“I have decided that now is the right time for me to retire from professional athletics,” said Pozzi.
“This is a profoundly sad moment, but also one that I can embrace fully with the knowledge that I have approached every minute of my time in this sport with uncompromising focus, resolute determination and the highest of standards.” (BBC)
their
The former world number one thanked his family, his team members over the years and the fans for their support over the years.
Fellow Grand Slam champions Novak Djokovic, Martina Navratilova, John McEnroe and
Iga Swiatek applauded from the side of the court, alongside British players Dan Evans, Jack Draper and Cameron Norrie. Murray is set to appear again later this week, having signed up to the mixed doubles with fellow British Grand Slam champion Emma Raducanu.
“It was obviously very special to play with Jamie, we’ve not the chance to do it before,” Murray, who won the first of his three major titles at the 2012 US Open, said. “It was a race against time to get out here and physically it wasn’t easy but I’m glad we were able to do it one time together.” (BBC)
Pozzi won the World Indoor 60m hurdles title in Birmingham in 2018 GB’s Pozzi
Erik ten Hag was appointed Manchester United manager in April 2022
Andy Murray was given an emotional farewell
daughters watched on.
Sports
Thompson to join Mavericks on threeyear, $50M deal
Free agent guard Klay Thompson has agreed on a three-year, $50 million contract with the Dallas Mavericks, ending his historic 13-year run with the four-time champion Golden State Warriors, sources told ESPN on Monday.
Thompson’s deal was largely inspired by the chance to compete for a fifth title with the Western Conference champion Mavericks.
The deal, negotiated by his agent, Greg Lawrence of Wasserman, required a multiteam sign-andtrade that sends Mavericks guard/forward Josh Green to the Charlotte Hornets and two secondround picks to the Warriors.
Dallas is sending its own 2031 second-round pick in the deal as well as the least favourable of the 76ers or Nuggets’ second-round pick in 2025, a source said.
Lawrence and Thompson met with Mavericks GM Nico Harrison and VP Michael Finley at the Bottle Inn in Hermosa Beach, California, to dig into the details of a Thompson-Mavericks partnership.
The Lakers were extremely intriguing to Thompson, but the
financial savings from living in Texas over California and the fact that the Mavericks came within three victories of an NBA championship were big factors in his decision, sources said.
In the final season of Thompson’s remarkable 13-year Warriors career, his relationship with the franchise became increasingly strained over contract discussions and his looming free agency. His departure became more and more likely as the season progressed.
His unhappiness grew as his role with the team fluctuated throughout the season -- punctuated by him being pulled from the closing lineup in early February and moving to a bench role later that month.
Thompson, 34, averaged 17.9 points last season, his lowest since 2012-13.
His Warriors tenure ends with his place in franchise and NBA history cemented. The trio of Curry, Thompson and Draymond Green accounted for 518 wins in the regular season and playoffs, sixth most by a trio all time. Their 98 playoff wins together rank third
in NBA history and their four titles are tied with Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker for the most by an All-NBA trio over the past 50 seasons, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
The Warriors wished Thompson well in a statement Monday, saying they look forward to retiring his No. 11 jersey.
“The amount of joy and
happiness that Klay provided Warriors fans, Bay Area natives and Dub Nation supporters all around the world has been immense and cannot be minimized,” the statement read. “His penchant for delivering in pressurised situations on the biggest stage, including many Game 6 heroics, has helped define a career.
“Klay’s legacy will live on
forever and we look forward to the day we can retire his #11 jersey at Chase Center where he will join a host of Warriors immortals, including those who helped shape this recent dynasty -- himself included.
“We thank Klay for his contributions and wish him the best as another chapter in his journey is written.” (ESPN)
Leicester lose appeal against Premier League PSR charge
Leicester’s appeal against the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability charge has been rejected by an independent commission.
The commission has ruled the top flight can punish the Foxes for an alleged breach for the three seasons leading up to 2022-23 after they were charged in March.
Leicester appealed against the charge as they were in the English Football League (EFL) at the time it was issued and felt the Premier League had no jurisdiction, having been relegated in 2023, but the commission has ruled English football’s top flight can continue pursuing them.
Leicester are appealing against the latest ruling.
A statement said: “LCFC notes the publication today of the decision of the Premier League Commission. The Club is disappointed with the decision, which does not appear to reflect the wording of the Premier League’s Rules, and has lodged an appeal.”
The Premier League confirmed
Leicester returned to the Premier League after winning the Championship last season
the appeal had been dismissed.
“An independent Commission has dismissed a challenge by Leicester City FC that it has no jurisdiction to consider an alleged breach of
Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSRs),” a statement read.
Leicester, who returned to the Premier League at the first attempt by winning the Championship last
season, were charged in March for an alleged breach of the Premier League’s PSR rules. At the time the club said they were “surprised” and
“disappointed” by the timing of the Premier League’s actions, while they were not in the top flight.
The club said they would “defend” themselves “from any unlawful acts by the football authorities, should they seek to exercise jurisdiction where they cannot do so”.
Their latest accounts for the year ending 30 June, 2023 confirmed an £89.7m loss taking their total losses for their previous three Premier League campaigns to more than £215m.
The club will be able to claim ‘add backs’, such as money spent on football infrastructure, against that figure.
In the 12 months up to May 2022 they lost a club record £92.5m. A year earlier, in the season when they lifted the FA Cup for the first time, the club reported a pre-tax loss of £33.1m.
Top-flight rules allow clubs to make losses of £105m over a threeyear period, or £35m per campaign, before facing sanctions. (BBC)
Klay Thomas (middle) joins the dynamic duo of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving
Sports National
Kishco books semi-final spot in T20 cricket competition
Kishco advanced to the semi-final of the Turks and Caicos Islands Cricket Association (TCICA) Senior Men’s T20 competition owing to a 45-run victory against reigning champions, Police, in their latest clash.
Police won the toss and inserted Kishco to bat and it seemed like the right call, as Kishco succumbed for 133 in 19.5 overs.
Vinod Panikar, batting at three, led the attack with 26 runs (6x4s),
while Mario Smith smashed 21 (2x4s, 2x6s) at the top.
Kishco middle and lower orders offered little support with the bat, as Rasheed George walked through the innings.
George, the first change-over bowler, got two wickets in his second over and one each in his third and fourth to finish with 4-24, while Kenrick Hackett supported with 2-15 from 1.5 overs.
In reply, Police were bowled out for a paltry 88 from 13.2 overs.
A few of the batsmen had starts, but none played the needed innings to take their side to victory.
Chabbie Charley, Smijo Devassy and Vikas Nair got two wickets a piece.
The competition continues with Kishco against GK Foods in the first semi-final on Sunday, July 7, at the Downtown Ball Park.
Boxing showdown for FMCC
In an effort to showcase the progress of the Boxing Club, the TCI Sports Commission will host a Boxing Showcase at the Felix Morley Community Centre (FMCC) in Five Cays.
This showcase is in collaboration with the club leaders Jimkelly Joseph and TCI Boxing legend Gary Lightbourne.
The event will take place on July 6th starting at 5 pm, featuring 5 bouts, each fight facilitating three rounds.
Each round will span two minutes with a one-minute rest. At the showcase, there will also be demonstrations of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and karate, a club also hosted at the FMCC.
Mr Joseph trained all fighters in the club, which
has been successfully running for over a year. The Boxing Club aims to mitigate juvenile delinquency, which effectively complements Joseph’s mantra, “Gloves Up, Guns Down”. The Felix Morley Community Centre was reopened in September 2022, under the management of the TCI Sports Commission. Since reopening, numerous clubs have been started and offered free to the youth populous including dance, yoga, basketball, karate, and rugby. Soca aerobics is also a club hosted which is offered to adults.
Tickets are pre-sold at the Gustarvus Lightbourne Sports Complex, Adults $10, Children $5.
Igniting Change: Transforming Lives through Sports event dubbed a success
The TCI Sports Commission’s Igniting Change: Transforming Lives through Sports, which featured the world premiere of the short film Ripple Effect, was dubbed a success. Proceeds from the event were in aid of the Athlete Development Fund (ADF) and the Project I.D.E.A. Media
Club. Ripple Effect was a product of the media club which is run by the TCI Sports Commission, and aims to kick-start early careers in sport media. Numerous companies from the public and private sectors were in attendance, financially supporting the beneficiaries and enjoying the
evening with their colleagues. During the event recently, ADF recipients Tajhari Williams, Tanesia Gardiner, and Norman Saunders shared testimonials of how the fund has impacted their sporting careers to upward progression. The current ADF sponsors HAB Group, J&W
Construction, Emara Properties LTD, Luxury Experiences Turks and Caicos, The Source, Waterloo Investment Holdings Limited, and Turks and Caicos Reservations were present to support the event. The event was also sponsored by the Wine Cellar and TC Crystal.
careers of our athletes from the perspective of a successful junior.
CARIFTA medallist, ADF recipient, and Senior Men’s Discus National Record Holder, Antwon Walkin was the keynote speaker. He spoke of the importance of sport funding in the
The event is set to take place on Saturday evening
ADF Recipient Antwon Walkin delivering his speech
Kishco have played well this season
LOCAL SWIMMERS EXCEL AT “RACE FOR THE CONCH”
Ideal conditions on Saturday, June 29 made for a perfect morning of open water competition at this year’s “Race for the Conch” EcoSeaSwim.
The annual event, now in its 14th year, drew over 100 swimmers mainly from the US and Canada, as well as nearly 40 local swimmers for the 2.4-mile, 1-mile, and ½ mile races. These were followed by a 100-metre Children’s Swim for 21 youngsters 10 and under getting into ocean swimming.
First organised by Ben Stubenberg and Chloe Zimmermann in 2010, the “Race for the Conch” showcases Provo’s world-class open water swim venue that draws top foreign visitor swimmers as well as strongly competitive local swimmers. Once more, Rickie’s Flamingo Cafe was the venue for the start and the finish.
In an amazing display of TCI swimming prowess, local swimmers Tajhari Williams, Ethan Gardiner, and Sean Walters swept the top three spots in the Men’s Division of the 1/2 mile race against fierce competition. Only 7/10ths of a second separated Tajhari and Ethan in an exciting shoulder-to-shoulder race right to the finish with Tajhari diving across the finish line in a blistering 11:58.6 minutes.
In the 1/2 mile Women’s Division, Leniah Hamilton, just 10 years old, posted an astounding second place behind US winner
Brigitte Delaney who finished in 13:02.7 minutes.
American Steven Gold won the 1-Mile Men’s Division in 22:24.4 minutes followed by TCI’s Lenin Hamilton Jr. for an outstanding second while TCI’s Rishith Gururaja swam to a superb fourth. Highly regarded US swimmer
Eney Jones took a solid first place in the women’s 1 mile in 23:48.4 minutes followed by Laura Martinez, and TCI’s Thais Burgess with an impressive third place.
In the 2.4-mile “Ironman” distance that kicked off the morning, American Robert Margalis won with a sterling time
of 51:16.5 minutes followed by fellow American Nicholas Zhu in second and TCI’s Tajhari Williams and Ethan Gardener in brilliant third and fourth place. All four finished the course in under an hour.
In the Women’s Division, Robert’s wife, Beth Margalis, took first with a time of 54:19.2 minutes.
Mile-swimmer Mark Krakower, who has swum in almost every “Race for the Conch” 1-mile distance since its inception, was honoured as the oldest swimmer at 81 years of age. The youngest swimmer award went to Faolan Williams from Australia who, at
just 8 years old, finished 8th out of 20 in the 1/2 mile Men’s Division. Faolan was actually born in Provo, but now lives in Australia.
All racers received conch medals carved by local artist Stanford Handfield. The top three men and women in each race category received trophies with a conch carved by Stanford that were set on a painted stand created by local artist Lucie Stubbs.
Race organisers gave a special award for “swim spirit” to American Jenn Wharton who had to drop out of the 2.4-mile race after being accidentally kicked in the head by another swimmer
during the race. Refusing to give up, she quickly registered for and swam in the 1 mile race.
In the 100-metre Children’s Swim, the top girl and boy in the 9-10 year category were Charlotte Gold and Devon Modeste. In the 7-8 year category, Gabrielle Tranter and Dylan Garland. And in the 6-and-under category, Renesme Been and Akeem Jones.
The “Race for the Conch” is a TCI non-profit entity. Proceeds from the race go to the Provo Children’s Home, Reef Fund, Red Cross, and Project Inclusion Turks & Caicos.
Ben and Chloe expressed huge appreciation to the outstanding volunteers who worked diligently all morning, as well as the many generous sponsors and providers. These include: Experience Turks & Caicos, Grace Bay Club, Ocean Club East, Hartling Group, Whole Health, Caribbean Bottling Company, Atlantic Aviation, Projetech, Finishing Touch, SurfSide Ocean Academy, Silver Palms
Charters, Vybes Productions, Wise Solutions (Jafooe), DJ Dayoh, Got-U-Covered, TCI Red Cross, Big Blue Collective, Luxury Experiences Turks & Caicos, Business Solutions, Caribbean Sol Sunscreen, LMNT Electrolytes, Natural Trade Distribution, TriIsland Yoga, Tradewindcolours, Caicu Naniki Vacation Adventures, and Marco Travel.
The next race takes place on Saturday, June 28, 2025.
Tajhari Williams (middle) with Ethan Gardiner (left) and Sean Walters
All racers received conch medals carved by local artist Stanford Handfield
Start of the 2.4-mile race (Photo Credit: Tom Fuller / Big Blue Collective)
