TC Weekly News May 13 - 19, 2023

United Nations-appointed independent human rights experts have called on the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Bahamas, the United States, and other countries in the Americas to suspend forced returns of Haitians back to the crisis-hit nation and instead “adopt measures to protect them”.

PNP’s ‘biggest budget ever’ riddled with lies, cuts and constraints – Astwood says

BY DELANA ISLES

A budget of cuts, underfunding and constraints is how the Opposition Leader views the PNP’s $424.3m ‘biggest budget ever’.

In a scathing review of the 2023/2024 budget following discussions in the Appropriations Committee last week, Hon Edwin Astwood, PDM leader and leader of the opposition, said the budget is much ado about nothing while pointing out some major shifts that are set to take place when the budget is passed.

“This budget fails to deliver on addressing the real issues that are impacting our people and our country. This is business far less than usual but costing the public much more.”

One of the major shifts Astwood highlighted was the dismantling of another historic institution - that of Radio Turks and Caicos - which will be absorbed into a soon to be established Communications Directorate within the Premier’s Office.

“Once the budget is passed Radio Turks and Caicos as we know it will no longer exist,” the opposition leader revealed.

“The people’s radio will now be

controlled by the Premier, imagine that. But you don’t have to, this PNP Administration is closing down another historic institution.

“The People’s Radio Station should never be under the direct control of any current or future Premier, not even me.”

He said the historically high budget has no vision, no theme, no purpose and nothing for the people of the TCI.

“Considering what is happening in the world, the region, and at home, what is now needed is a budget that addresses the need for our people to feel safe, and have security in life at an educational, religious, political, economic, technological, biological, universal, and agro-technical level. A budget that is paving the way for our people to live in harmony.

During the laying of the budget in late April, the minister of finance stated that this is the biggest budget ever for the TCI, and that “his PNP government is investing $424.3m into our people and our country”.

This, Astwood said, is a lie.

“If you had the time to listen to the appropriations committee hearings, you would know from the information provided that, outside the normal recurrent expenditure

on salaries and allowance and renovations, nothing is being spent on our people or our country.”

He said another lie is the finance minister stating that the budget seeks to achieve “social, economic, and environmental progress for all”.

“Well, the numbers and programs showed that this is a lie, this budget does not address any of those issues for our people and our country.

“It does not address, the cost of living, it does not address housing, it does not address our border crises, it does not address the training of our people, it does not address increasing access to quality and affordable health care, it does not address the beautification of our country, it does not address access to housing, it does not address salary inequalities, and most of all it does nothing more for our people.”

WHAT IT DOES ADDRESS

Astwood said what the budget does address is a recurrent expenditure that remains pretty much the same with the bulk of the increases going to the Destination Management Organisation (DMO).

He said $14m will go toward professional consultancies, $28m in subventions to statutory bodies, $22.8m to InterHealth’s InfraCo Unitary payment, and $35.4m for InterHealth’s ClinCo payment and Treatment Abroad, $7.2m for SIPT, hosting conferences, 56 new positions (to add to the 400 vacant positions), and land acquisitions.

“All their efforts to fix things are making things worse, at least worse for our people of the Turks and Caicos Islands,” Opposition Leader Edwin Astwood says of the 2023-2024 budget (PDM photo)

on consultation for a national identification system.

He said besides two in social services, all government programmes have been cut or are greatly underfunded.

“This is an historic budget of constraints: local and international training cut, internal training cut, youth activities cut, no increase in international scholarships, no expansion of preventative healthcare, no expansion to national security and border, small and medium contracts cut, preventative maintenance and clearing cut, and no increase in grants to entrepreneurs and startup businesses, just to name a few.”

is a gender-based budget, and again there is not one programme proposed to address gender inequalities at any level in our society.”

He also pointed out that there is no salary increase for government employees this year, just money for another salary and grading review. He is calling on the government to give civil servants a 10% acrossthe-board increase as a cost-ofliving adjustment.

“I do not care that they will get the brownie points if they do this, my only concern is that our people need it, and they need it now, not a year from now.”

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The PDM leader said the capital development expenditure stands at $64m for vehicles, further digitising of records, refurbishment and renovation works, furniture and equipment, while a meagre $5m to be spent on roads and electrification combined for the entire territory, and $2m

He said all their efforts to fix things are making things worse, at least worse for the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Notably, Astwood said there are no provisions for ‘Green and Gender’ initiatives within the budget document.

“This PNP government is saying that this is a green budget but there is no increase to address environmental and cleanliness issues. They also said that this

He promises that when the PDM takes the government in the next general election, there will be more salary increases for civil servants, which will in turn force the hand of all other businesses to do likewise to be competitive.

“The Turks and Caicos Government will be seeking to recruit and retain the best and brightest talent our country has to offer, achieving the best service delivery in our country, the Turks and Caicos Islands.”

Barbados PM urges stronger partnerships in post-COVID era

The Turks and Caicos Islands was ably represented at this year’s Caribbean Travel Marketplace, where keynote speaker Prime Minister Mia Mottley charged tourism leaders to band together for the health of the region’s chief

industry in this post-COVID era. Held in Barbados from May 9 to 11, the annual event affords tourism suppliers the opportunity to meet face-to-face with wholesalers from around the world selling Caribbean vacation travel

over the course of two days of business meetings.

Caribbean Travel Marketplace is the largest tourism marketing event held annually throughout the

BY OLIVIA ROSE

“Stop deporting Haitians” UN Rights experts tell TCI and others – Govt says repatriation will continue

United Nations-appointed independent human rights experts have called on the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Bahamas, the United States, and other countries in the Americas to suspend forced returns of Haitians back to the crisis-hit nation and instead “adopt measures to protect them”.

However, the Minister of Immigration and Border Services in the Turks and Caicos Islands, Hon Arlington Musgrove who called the UN’s appeal “wrong and ill-advised” says repatriation of persons entering the Turks and Caicos Islands illegally will continue unabated.

In an invited comment, Musgrove told the Weekly News that “until the UN demand that the international community like USA, France and others take serious action in the security of Haiti and the Haitian people, I will do what’s best for TCI and its people.”

“I will continue to repatriate and deport people that are in my country illegally and that includes Haitians as well”, he added.

The UN’s call comes as thousands of Haitians flee economic hardship in their homeland and embark on perilous journeys across the sea in search of a better life, as Haiti continues to reel from a humanitarian and security crisis triggered by months of political instability and a proliferation of gang violence.

Minister of Immigration and Border Services, Hon Arlington Musgrove

The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) in a report released on Friday, April 28, 2023, revealed that some 36,000 people of Haitian origin were deported during the first three months of the year, according to figures from the International Organization for Migration.

Barbados PM urges stronger partnerships ...

CONTINUED

region.

Under the theme ‘Predicting Travelers’ Impact,’ the event commenced with a Caribbean Travel Forum, where the keynote address ‘Tourism the key driver of generational wealth for Caribbean Nationals’ was delivered by Honorable Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados.

Therein, Mottley charged the private sector and the hotel industry to work in partnership with the public sector, noting that in this post Covid-19 era, it is imperative that all work more closely together to be shapers and not just takers in the development of the tourism sector in the region.

Tourism Minister, Hon. Josephine Connolly who led the TCI’s delegation echoed the sentiments raised by Prime Minister Mottley during her remarks, stating: “Covid-19 has taught us all that success can be achieved by working together in partnership.

“The transition from the Tourist Board to the DMMO (Experience Turks and Caicos) will strengthen partnership and forge new partnership, both locally, regionally and globally as we continue to work to ensure that the tourism industry in the TCI is sustainable but most importantly that our people can reap and

migration routes, at borders and in detention centres in the Americas region, “as a result of strict migration control, the militarisation of borders, systematic immigration detention policies and the obstacles to international protection” in some countries.

The Committee warned that such obstacles exposed these vulnerable migrants to “killings, disappearances, acts of sexual and gender-based violence, and trafficking by criminal networks”.

CERD said: “Caribbean countries, such as the Bahamas as well as the Turks and Caicos Islands, have announced measures against undocumented Haitian migrants.

“The United States in January also made public, new border policies to permit fast-tracked expulsions to Mexico of Haitian migrants and others, crossing the southern border of the US without documentation.

should be carried out, to identify protection needs in accordance with international refugee and human rights law, with particular attention to the most vulnerable groups.

RACISM AND XENOPHOBIA

CERD further called on countries in the Americas to investigate all allegations of excessive use of force, cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment, and racial profiling against Haitians.

They also demanded the protection of refugees against other allegations of human rights violations and abuses committed by both State and non-state actors; including at borders, migrant detention centres and along migration routes, to punish those responsible and to provide rehabilitation and reparations to victims or their families.

Some 90 per cent were deported from the Dominican Republic, the Committee explained in its report. The experts expressed concern over the collective expulsions which did not consider individual circumstances and needs.

CERD highlighted alleged human rights violations and abuses against Haitians on the move along

“Considering the desperate situation in Haiti, which does not currently allow for the safe and dignified return of Haitians to the country, as pointed out by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Committee called for an end to the collective expulsions of Haitians on the move.”

The UN-appointed committee (CERD) stressed that an assessment of each individual case

The experts also called for measures to prevent and combat xenophobic and racist violence and incitement to racial hatred against people of Haitian origin and to publicly condemn racist hate speech, including those uttered by public figures and politicians.

The UN underscored that although the Independent human rights experts are appointed by its Council, in Geneva, and are mandated to monitor and report on specific thematic issues or country situations, they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work.

The Turks and Caicos Islands’ team at CHTA in Barbados this week (TCIG photo)

enjoy the benefit of the economic development of these islands as a result of the tourism industry." The forum also provided updates on the Caribbean as a

region, its performance on a whole, along with other engaging panel discussions.

Accompanying Hon. Connolly were Tourism Permanent Secretary,

Wesley Clerveaux; Courtney Robinson of TCI Tourist Board; TCHTA’s CEO Stacy Cox and The Hartling Group’s VP of Marketing, Karen Whitt.

THE BUDGET

The Turks and Caicos Islands Government has unveiled a colossal $424.3m draft national budget for the 2023/2024 fiscal year, aimed at "achieving social, economic and environmental progress for all".

Minister of Finance Investment and Trade, Hon Erwin Saunders, who recently laid the draft Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for Financial Year 2023/2024 on the table of the House for review by the Appropriations Committee, emphasised that the national budget is designed to make real impacts that complement the programmes and initiatives outlined in the "Citizens' Contract".

Speaking in the House of Assembly on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, Saunders presented what he termed a "sophomore budget".

The $424.3m budget is made up of Recurrent Expenditure of $348.1m, Non-Recurrent Expenditure of $11.8m, and Proposed Capital Development Expenditure of $64.4m.

He further explained that the Total Expenditure of $424.3m is 18% higher than the (unaudited) actuals of financial year FY2022/23 ($359.5m), while Capital Development Expenditure of $64.4m is a whopping 254% higher than the (unaudited) actuals of financial year FY2022/23 ($18.2m).

Saunders told the House of Assembly that existing revenue streams will support 98.4% of the aforementioned planned Expenditure.

"The remaining 1.6% - i.e. the projected Operating Deficit of $6.6m - will be funded from Cash Reserves" he added.

The budget debate is expected to get underway on the 16th of May 2023.

What are your thoughts?

Regression

For the past three years, the economy in the Turks and Caicos Islands has been performing worse than it did 20 years ago. In 2003, our GDP per capita was $18,848.8 and $21,233.9 in 2004.

Our GDP per capita was $20,882.3 in 2020, a cause of the pandemic, it flat lined with $20,908.6 in 2021. Since the pandemic the economy of TCI has not recovered to pre pandemic levels even though the current government may state otherwise. The GDP per capita figures prove that we are not living our best lives as the premier is so quick to state. Bahamians are urged not to listen to the premier as The Bahamas' economy has out-performed the Turks and Caicos Islands over the last 20 years save for and except in 2008 which, as we all know, was the height of corruption in the TCI. Yes, it is indeed better in the Bahamas!

Do more for your people

This unexpected and unplanned windfall is ‘pregnant with possibilities for any government that carries with it an agenda of caring for the people. How that budget, allocate and spend this new money will tell

a lot of where their hearts are. There is much suffering and endemic poverty in the TCI. This is an opportunity for the government to tackle such basic issues head on. A good start would be a 20% Salary increase, across the board for all low-ranking members of the public service earning less than $2500 monthly.

All members of the public service should now be earning a minimum of $3500 monthly. There should also be a means tested subsidy for the public for issues such as inflation and the increase in prices.

Get e-government done

With all of this ‘largesse”, this $424m budget, the government could embark on a mission to truly help the people. Do they have will and the vision to do so? The business of e-government should be addressed ASAP. The intent of e-government is to alleviate the stress and problems in dealing with government and to make the business of government less expensive.

There are still lines outside of the treasury door, downtown, Providenciales. This is primitive and really utterly backward for the TCI in the modern age of technology and computers being so ubiquitous. This PNP

regime was elected on the promise that they would get e-government done. But since taking office, because 50% of the electorate stayed home, there has been little to nothing done about the e-government project.

If they would simply get on with it, build on the foundation laid by the former PDM Administration, e-government would be in place. The implications are innumerable. The surplus would be much higher than the one projected in this current budgetary allocation. With an imaginative budget they could budget for scholarships for more TCI students. More so they could take on the business of funding students in technical and vocational areas where the ‘real money is made’. Fund more of these programmes. Budgets should reflect your policy, if any, and a desire to make things better for all.

Fleeced

Governments are legacies of missed opportunities. We now have a “king” and he is taking more than a tenth of our income and money, as in 1 Samuel 8, KJV. This “King”, our TCI Government is taking more out of the economy than it is giving, by way of indirect taxation. They are so huge on travel but are funding legacy issues such as a never ending SIPT Corruption and a failed asset recovery process.

A $424m budget is evidence of how the TCI people are being fleeced. There is little in that budget for the people. Imagine a populace and people being replaced and having to pay for their own replacement. This budget could go much further, if but they only had an agenda for the people.

It would be a novel idea to establish a national development fund to finance new Turks & Caicos Islander businesses. Loans at 2 and 3% per annum would go a long way to kick-starting the new Turks & Caicos Islander economy.

Transfer $50m to a special development fund to finance native business start-ups and help struggling ones? The banks, Scotia, RBC, FCIB are not there to help but simply to de-risk themselves out of the TCI economy altogether. It is time for this

government to take the opportunity to invest more directly into the people. Reduce the taxes, remove stamp duty on land purchases for native Turks and Caicos Islanders. Eliminate business license fees.

Budget boost and local dilemma

Many tourists come in at the airport daily with drugs, and Customs just fine them an amount of cash for their criminal action and let them carry on with their vacation.

I imagine that all that cash being taking in is bolstering the cash flow of the country’s revenue.

While most of the drugs consist of marijuana aka weed or ganja, I am upset about it because Turks and Caicos Islanders are being criminalise or detained in other countries for drug trafficking on similar facts, a local pilot recently captured in Jamaica with weed.

This matter is being withheld from public knowledge and is consistently a miscarriage of justice to our very own locals as locals, if caught with similar drugs on the streets will be arrested and demonise through the court system.

If drugs specifically weed is systematically decriminalised for Government fiscal budget advancement only, I think it's bad, why not legalise weed and make locals farmers and regulated coffee shop owners and business people of the product.

The criminal act is the budget boost and the local man dilemma, Not very boastful and productive at all!

UK to advance talks on TCI’s constitutional reform

Agrees to help address illegal migration and border security threats

The United Kingdom has committed to advance discussions on the Turks and Caicos Islands’ constitutional reform and to assist the territory with the ongoing threat of illegal migration and border security.

Further, the UK has agreed to step up support to counter irregular migration here and welcomes the imminent UK Government tender for a maritime surveillance aircraft for the TCI, alongside assistance to strengthen border security, tackle crime associated with these issues and improve asylum processes, a recent statement from the Office of the Premier said.

This comes as the territory’s Premier Hon Charles Washington Misick held a bilateral meeting on Tuesday, May 9, with Lord Goldsmith (Minister for the Overseas Territories) in advance of the Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council to discuss the partnership between the UK and the TCI.

Premier Misick and Governor (ag), HE Anya Williams, recently

departed the territory to attend the Coronation and meet with His Majesty The King and senior members of the Royal Family and the UK Cabinet.

In keeping with this, the Premier has since met with several senior UK Ministers, including the Foreign Secretary, Home Office Ministers, and a range of other UK departments. while in London

As part of the discussions, the Premier raised the need to reform the TCI’s constitution and Lord Goldsmith agreed to advance discussions on the cross-party proposals for reform.

Lord Goldsmith welcomed

Rubis TCI brings back online speech therapy at Ashley’s Learning Center

Rubis Turks and Caicos Ltd has committed over $7,500 to Ashley’s Learning Center to bring back a much-needed Online Speech Therapy programme.

In a recent release, Rubis noted that it “constantly looks for ways to be involved with the Autistic community” by providing support and by helping to bring awareness.

Last year, Rubis Turks & Caicos Ltd supported Ashley’s Learning Center (ALC) Annual Concert as a title sponsor and this year Rubis has agreed to lend support again.

According to Angela William, Founder of Ashley’s Learning

Center, this programme is pivotal.

“The fastest-growing delay we continue to see in young children is speech delay, and therefore making speech services at our center the most imminent need.”

Rubis leaped at the opportunity to enhance the lives of children on the spectrum by providing support for online speech therapy, thereby making the most meaningful impact next to mobility and sight.

Rubis’ latest commitment to ALC amounts to $7,722. This amount will cover online speech services for 18 students for a complete school year.

In 2021, Rubis provided

the TCI’s recent accession to the Blue Belt programme, and they discussed the need to tackle illegal fishing and to progress maritime border negotiations, the office of the Premier stated.

Lord Goldsmith, who conveyed his gratitude to the Premier, for his leadership during his prior tenure as President of the UK Overseas Territories Association said: “The Turks and Caicos Islands are a valued member of the British family, in a partnership based on respect and shared values.

“We recognise that the Turks and Caicos Islands have continued to strengthen their institutions and

good governance, and it is right that we recognise this in our approach to the constitution”, he added.

Premier Misick stressed that his government is pleased with the UK’s commitment to advance discussions on the constitutional reform proposals set forth by himself and the Leader of the Opposition.

He said: “I am also pleased with the Minister’s commitment to assist with the ongoing threat of illegal migration and border security of our islands as this is vital to the future and success of our islands.

“In my bilateral with Lord Goldsmith, a frank update was provided, and, with the Minister’s

commitment, my government will do everything in its power to ensure action is taken; the United Kingdom’s promise is delivered, and our border remains protected. “Additionally, matters concerning the redevelopment of the Howard Hamilton International Airport were also discussed and Lord Goldsmith was provided with the official business case for review.

“Our relationship with the United Kingdom remains strong and we will continue to build on the lessons learned together along with the reflection of the many successes.”

The funds will cover online speech services for 18 students for a complete school year

Ashley’s Learning Center with their first computer lab. The lab was mainly to assist with repetitive speech therapy. When Rubis Turks and Caicos learned in March that the center was unable to offer online speech therapy for the last seven months due to a loss of funding, Rubis decided to

take on this responsibility for at least a year, Sales and Marketing Manager, Micah Knowles stated.

The great benefit of the Gemiini Therapy is that the programme is individualised and keeps track of each student’s progress, continues Mrs Knowles.

Ashley’s Learning Center is a

cross-categorical special school for students on the autistic disorder spectrum. The school started in 2015 after founder Angela Williams embarked on a journey to provide educational opportunities for her daughter Ashley and other children. The school currently has 30 students.

Premier Hon C. Washington Misick and Rt Hon Lord Zac Goldsmith of Richmond Park, Minister for Overseas Territories- (Office of the Premier photo)

Premier Hon C. Washington Misick and Rt Hon Lord Zac Goldsmith, Minister for Overseas Territories and Governor (ag), Her Excellency Anya Williams- (Office of the Premier photo)

We must unite so that we may progress

Division over politics is keeping us behind

If there is one thing that the Turks and Caicos has in common with many countries is the fact that we are divided over politics. It is unfortunate that our allegiance to these two main political parties is contributing to this division. How can we progress if we are divided?

To progress, we must put aside our political differences and come together. There is strength in unity and when you are strong together, you have power and can progress as a people because we will work together and support one another.

I wish we could wake up and realise the impact that our obsession with these political parties is having on us. Politics have destroyed some relationships with friends and family. Some people are not talking to others. Some people try to destroy the character of others. Many of us keep saying let us come together

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.

but we do not mean what we say because our actions say otherwise. Some people voted for a political party to see what they could get and when they don’t get what they expected, they become bitter and hateful creating further division. Politics is keeping our country down. Some initiatives in Government are deliberately being delayed because the relevant authorities’ political party is not in power. Likewise, some politicians

do not continue with some of the programmes from successive governments because they do not want the successive governments to get credit. Some politicians only look out for their supporters. It should not matter who voted for you or not, you are the government for everybody.

I also notice that most people who do not support the government will find everything wrong with the government but if their party

becomes the government, they try to justify the actions of their government even if they did the same initiatives that they did not support when their party was not in government. Of course, we must hold the government accountable but let us be objective and stop being one-sided creating more division.

No matter what our obstacles are, if we can come together, we can achieve the things that seem impossible to achieve. However, we are too busy fighting among ourselves because of politics. I believe if we present a united front to the British, we will get the Constitution that we desire. I believe if people come together, we will be a force to be reckoned with. After all, there are no philosophical differences between the two political parties so why are we allowing this to destroy us.

Why don’t we come together and run the country together?

Look at the people that are progressing. It is because they have not allowed politics to get in their way. Working alone is inadequate. Working with one party is inadequate. Unity is the key to progress. We are so small and so we should have been further ahead. I don’t think it is too late. In conclusion, too many of us are paying lip service in public talking about unity but privately, we are planning all we can to bring one another down. The solution to our problem is to come together. It starts with you and me and I encourage the leaders of these political parties to lead by example. Stop putting the love of politics over the love of the country. We must come together if we want real changes in the development of the people.

Futurist Kurzweil predicts that humans will attain immortality

Do not buy into this absurdity!

With an impressive record of predicting world’s phenomena renowned futurist, Ray Kurzweil, envisaged that consumers will start designing their own clothes on personal computers by the year 1999. He foresaw, the world’s best chess player losing to a computer by 2000 and the widespread use of portable computers in different shapes and sizes by 2009.

His unorthodox prognoses have influenced observers and goaded them to persistently transcend their limits. Throughout, Kurzweil has made 147 predictions, with 86 per cent accuracy. He was awarded the prestigious National Medal of Technology in 1999 for his

BY D MARKIE SPRING

contributions and inducted into the National Investors Hall of Fame in 2022.

People who are familiar with Kurzweil’s works are now asking, “What does the future hold?” and this year he made an astounding new prediction that “humans will achieve immortality by 2030.”

While I applaud Kurzweil for his successes in theorising future events, it is undeniable he has now gone overboard with his claim that nanobots flowing through humans’ veins will fight off illnesses, repair body cells; hence, reversing aging and allowing ‘man’ to live forever.

This egregious fallacy must vehemently be denounced! It is proven, exceptional feats of the human intellect have coerced ‘man’ to think that they have acquired deity. Above all, ‘man’ has never learned and will continue to disintegrate, despite the written history surrounding humans’ demise.

Satan fell because of pride, desiring to be God; instead of, being God’s servant and Revelation

12:4 says, Satan took one-third of the angels with him.

Likewise, Nimrod, who commissioned the construction of the Great Tower of Babel – a rebellious act against God – was eventually toppled. Today, Satan is still working in many to rebel against God.

While this critique is not a sermon; however, I felt compelled to deviate from my usual literary genre narrative of socioeconomic eventualities, to call out Kurzweil’s ungodly, nonsensical claim. It’s obvious, the futurist does not understand the Scriptures or acknowledge the sovereignty of God.

Kurzweil must know, scientists cannot extinguish death and no amount of technological advances could stop the working of God's mighty hands and His design for humanity.

In Genesis 3:17—19, the Scriptures say, the first humans sinned against God; hence, they activated death in their own lives, for God is “the source of life,” as found in Psalm 36:9 and Genesis 2:17. Moreover, the apostle Paul,

in 1 Corinthians 15:56, confirms that “the sting producing death is sin.”

Additionally, Romans 5:12 tells us that Adam passed on sin to all his descendants and through him, sin entered the world and death by sin; hence, death spread to all men, for all have sinned.

So, how is death eliminated?

Certainly not by scientifically generated artificial intelligence or nanotechnology, but through Jesus’s death on the cross, obliterating the root cause of death, which is sin, confirmed in Isaiah 25:8, John 1:29 and 1 John 1:7.

And while we live, physical death is inevitable, with or without sickness, as many persons have died of natural causes. Even so, the COVID-19 vaccine could not stop people from dying.

Do not be deceived by intellectuals, who – through their many accolades – believe they’ve surpassed the greatness of God. Eternal life cannot be achieved through man-made laboratory research, but solely, through what Jesus accomplished on the cross –accorded life after death!

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.

Building a strong economy

Principles from the Book of Exodus

In the biblical book of Exodus, the main theme is that God keeps his word. He promised Abraham that he would make him into a great nation and that nation would be a source of blessing to other nations. When the story in Exodus begins we see that the descendants of Abraham have grown into millions of people. However, they are slavery and forced to live in poverty. By the end of the book, they have been liberated from economic slavery and are being prepared to become people of God. Throughout the book, there are several economic principles that are applicable to a developing economy.

The Right to Private Property:

The opportunity to own and protect one’s property is fundamental to a developing economy because it helps individuals to own, control, and use their own resources in a way that is beneficial to them and the wider society. In turn, this allows

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.

for the creation of personal wealth and economic growth. In Exodus 20:15 God commands Moses to command the people of Israel not to steal. Implied in this command is the idea that each person should be able to possess and utilize their own resources, in other words, the right to private property. Governments, either through laws or by force, should not prevent their citizens from owning their own property. On the other hand, they should see to it that there are mechanisms in place for their people to have and

maximize their property.

Responsible Sustainability:

In Exodus 20:8-11the concept of Sabbath rest is introduced. The emphasis is that on the seventh and last day of the week, everyone should rest. This includes animals and even the land. Rest is a crucial aspect of sustainability because it recognizes the need for personal and material renewal. Individuals need to rest for their personal well-being and the land needs to rest in order for it to be replenished and productive. By the way, in the biblical economy,

the work week is six days, not five or four. But that is for another discussion. Employers who want the most out of their employees should ensure that they have one full day of rest. Farmers should rest their land in a similar way to ensure the longterm viability of their crops. Laws need to reflect the same. But of great importance is the need for natural resources to be protected in such a way that future generations should be able to access and enjoy them. One practical way in which the TCI can do this is by putting a stop

to resorts/homes being built near beaches and creating more green spaces for people to enjoy.

Protection of the Vulnerable: There is a lot said in Exodus about protecting those who are vulnerable, widows, orphans, and foreigners. A godly nation seeking to implement godly economic practices prioritizes the protection of the most vulnerable by creating policies and providing resources and support for those who are genuinely vulnerable to live and thrive. In Exodus 22:21-22 God tells the Israelites to show empathy to migrants which is part of the bigger principle of creating an economy built on compassion, compassion to the vulnerable, and compassion to all. There are several more amazing economic principles from the book of Exodus. Take a read through the book for yourself and you would discover them. You. Are. Loved.

Are you in control?

Some topics of conversation we should not be having at 8:00 AM, but you know what? I asked them anyway. Are you really in control of your life? Regardless of your good intention, the fact of the matter is, you have less control than you think. Sorry hunny.

Some things are simply uncontrollable, and it’s exhausting and futile to obsess over them—not to mention disempowering, since we can’t control what’s in our power when we’re fixated on things that aren’t.

As a self-diagnosed control freak, I know this all too well. I lost sleep over the most pedantic things, and overthink things that are just out of my scope. It’s ok, because I am learning. These days, I try to focus more on the opposite_ focusing on the things that I can control. I can’t control what’s coming, but I can control whether I feel strong enough to cope with it, and even make the best of it. I consulted a friend on this dilemma. Here are eight things to think about.

1. YOU CAN’T CONTROL:

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

WHAT OTHER PEOPLE DO

You can control: Whether you participate in their behaviour or enable them.

Suggestion: Trust other people to make their own decisions and accept that you’re not responsible for their choices or the consequences of their actions.

2. YOU CAN’T CONTROL: HOW OTHER PEOPLE SEE YOU

You can control: How you show up in your relationships and how you see yourself.

Suggestion: Make a list of traits you’d like to embody in your relationships—kindness, honesty, or integrity, for example—those you can control.

3. YOU CAN’T CONTROL: HOW OTHER PEOPLE TREAT YOU

You can control: How you internalise and respond to their treatment.

Suggestion: Recognize that their behaviour isn’t personal; it’s more about them and their own pain and limitations than you.

4. YOU CAN’T CONTROL: WHETHER OTHER PEOPLE LIKE YOU

You can control: How true you are to yourself.

Suggestion: Remind yourself that no one is liked by everyone and that you don’t have to win anyone’s approval. You just need to be yourself so you can find like-minded people—people who

accept and appreciate you just as you are.

5. YOU CAN’T CONTROL: WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK, FEEL, AND BELIEVE

You can control: How you engage with your different opinions, feelings, and beliefs.

Suggestion: Set boundaries around conversations (which topics you won’t discuss, or what you’ll do to stay calm when hotbutton issues come up). Remind yourself that it’s not your job to change people’s minds.

6. YOU CAN’T CONTROL: HOW OTHER PEOPLE INTERNALISE THINGS YOU SAY AND DO

You can control: Your intentions and how you respond when you unintentionally hurt someone.

Suggestion: Communicate how you feel if you fear you’ve upset someone and clarify your intentions if you think there’s been a misunderstanding.

7. YOU CAN’T CONTROL: WHAT HAPPENS TO OTHER PEOPLE

You can control: How you show

up for them when things get hard.

Suggestion: Acknowledge that struggles help us develop strengths and can lead to pride and purpose, so you don’t need to shelter anyone from pain.

8. YOU CAN’T CONTROL: THE OUTCOME OF ANYTHING YOU DO

You can control: Your efforts.

Suggestion: Put in the time for anything that matters to you, even if it’s just a little every day. Focus on progress, not perfection, so you don’t end up feeling paralysed.

BONUS

You can’t control: The inevitability of you getting hurt

You can control: How you treat yourself when you’re hurting.

Suggestion: Remind yourself that there’s no way to avoid pain because the act of avoiding itself is also painful.

Remember to be good to yourself. Good luck!

What do you think? Do share with me, email louisedens@ gmail.com if you can think of anything else.

Task force for tourism innovation

Tourism runs the risk of missing out on opportunities. We do not exist in a vacuum and none of us has a monopoly on wisdom when it comes to assessing what a modern tourism industry needs in order to thrive. A task force for tourism innovation could be assembled, and the sooner the better, regardless of local or regional level. It should investigate and explore newfound and innovative ways in the tourism industry. Whether it’s the initiative of a private, commercial, association or government, whoever fits the shoe should put it on. It would be a great failure if no one is willing to put that shoe on. One could go as far as saying that ducking or waiving it, might be irresponsible.

Tourism Innovation is about adding value by enhancing improvement and transformation. Exploring innovation does not mean just looking for a new product or helping just one particular type of operation within the tourism industry. It should be leveraged to add value to the creation, development, and implementation of new concepts. It may be about carefully combining activities that enable and encourage original ideas to be generated and grow, support their diffusion, and harvest a new value for the whole industry.

The innovation is not just about what it will do to the tourism industry but also how it impacts the community. Keeping intelligent Socio-Economic thinking and economy diversification in mind.

CDR BUD SLABBAERT

Bud has written numerous articles and columns for international and regional magazines.

As a specialist in strategic communication, he aims to ensure that the essential information is noticed by the senses, sticks in the mind, and affects thinking, behaviour, or activities of an audience.

The positive impact of tourism innovation is far-reaching, affecting the very core of economies, and quality of life. Tourism Innovation will help members of the communities to lead more productive and rewarding lives. It will stimulate the economy with an inspired workforce.

Such a task force can become the foundation of a roadmap for future continuous lasting economic success in all areas of the tourism industry and also at all levels of human activity. What does “all levels of human activity” stand for? The way I see the dynamics of economies, is that there are people who work up a sweat and then there are those who are using a moisturizer to fake a sweat. The focus cannot not be on existing businesses alone, or on making more profits.

The task force shall not be obliged to report to any association, company, or government, but rather report directly to the media for further uncensored dissemination of their

National security agencies strengthen collaboration

Stakeholders from local national security agencies were brought together under one roof last week to strengthen their collaborative capabilities.

Thirty-three high-level personnel from government agencies, law enforcement, the attorney general chambers, the Department of Disaster Management and Emergencies, TCI hospitals, TCI Regiment, border force, fire, TCI airport authority, immigration, customs, members of the police force executive and senior management were in attendance last Thursday, May 4.

Facilitated by the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police

findings to the whole community. Of course, the report will be shared with stakeholders who endorse, support and sponsor the Task Force’s activities. The task force shall consist of a maximum of nine members, including a chairperson and may become colloquially known as the "Nine Wise Figures". The members of the Task Force will not necessarily be affiliated with any association, company or government department. The knowledge and expertise of differing functions or segments in the tourism industry will be represented by six members. Three members will represent industries that are different from tourism but known for being innovative and they may be specialists in the area of business or product development. Even a reputable travel journalist could be a member; they come around.

MEMBERS OF THE TASK FORCE SHALL:

● be independent thinkers who

are outspoken in the way they communicate.

● have the courage to break with traditions, common beliefs, existing structures or processes and even be disruptive.

● not represent the interests of the company or institution that they may be part of, but rather express their own opinion or represent the typical area of their personal expertise.

● not be biased or prejudiced in any way.

To make a straightforward point: what the task force absolutely doesn’t need are actors who like to be on a panel for the sake of looking important or polishing up their ego. The worst to have on a task force are cheerleaders for themselves. Does the Rotary motto “Service above Self” ring a bell?

The outcome and conclusions shall be totally open-ended and shall not meet any particular beliefs or outlooks. The Task Force shall not work under the pressure of expectations. Their conclusions

may hold surprises, yet they must be of a realistic nature. Their summary must express:

● the red thread and general guidance on how to proceed in the future

● any suggested high priorities

● options for serious consideration

● impact of innovation

All conclusions and results without censoring shall be made available to the media for publication immediately after the Task Force came to their conclusions.

In nature, almost every plant grows up from the soil in the direction of the sunlight. Every economy is significantly driven by the dynamics of small businesses and middle-class entrepreneurs. Start-ups and innovative products are crucial elements of growth. There may be potential for professionals who are looking for new opportunities. All angles of the industry should be looked at. The goal must be to send out impulses, to suggest tools for improvements and better alignment, to foster the expansion of capacities for invention and to drive strategies for the challenges of the future in a changing world.

Where to start? Some people who wish that at some time they may own a Rolls Royce, start by saving money for the shiny brass buttons on the chauffeur’s uniform. There must be a more inventive and ground-breaking idea to start up a Task Force for Tourism Innovation.

Force (RTCIPF), the workshop was conducted under the theme ‘Working Together, Saving Lives, Reducing Harm’.

Commissioner of Police Trevor Botting opened the event with brief remarks.

“We can only ensure we have a safe and secure Turks and Caicos Islands if we, those that serve our communities and who are charged with the responsibility of protecting this territory, work together collaboratively in partnership and with a commitment to do so.”

The commissioner revealed that in the last six weeks, multi-agency silver and gold command training was delivered, with members

of the immigration ministry and enforcement, customs, airport security, policing and the TCI Regiment attending.

He noted: “Not as one agency but learning and developing alongside their law enforcement and security partners.

“In this way, we will emerge stronger as a collective and be better equipped to tackle the threats and challenges we face.”

Commander Bud Slabbaert from Sint Maarten is the initiator and chairman of the Caribbean Aviation Meetup conferences.

Throughout his professional activities, he was involved in international aviation promotion, development and management matters in the region and in Europe.

RTCIPF's Multi-Agency Command Leadership Workship

Covid-19 is no longer a public health emergency – WHO declares

– Health Minister says TCI will remain vigilant

Covid-19 is no longer a global health emergency according to the World Health Organization (WHO), however, countries were urged to “transition from emergency mode to managing Covid-19 alongside other infectious diseases”.

While the war on the dreaded Covid-19 virus which took the world by storm three years ago is far from over, the all-clear siren has sounded for now by the WHO.

At the 15th meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) Emergency Committee regarding the Covid-19 Pandemic, held on Thursday 4 May 2023, the Director General of the WHO, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, determined that “Covid-19 is now an established and ongoing health issue which no longer constitutes a public health emergency of international concern”.

The declaration was made based on the information gathered from countries around the world on

the decreasing trend in Covid-19 deaths, the decline in Covid19-related hospitalisations and intensive care unit admissions, and the high levels of population immunity to SARS-CoV-2.

Coupled with this, the DirectorGeneral announced the publication of the 2023-2025 Covid-19 Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan which is designed to guide countries in transitioning to long-term management of Covid-19.

This plan outlines important actions for countries to consider

Accidental firearm discharge by Marine under investigation

The Police Force and the TCI Regiment have both denied reports that a marine was involved in a shooting incident, stating that it was an accidental discharge while on duty.

On Tuesday, May 9, several posts on social media platforms alleged that a rank of the Regiment discharged his weapon while in the vicinity of civilians.

These reports have been categorically denied, with both labelling it ‘fake news’.

In a statement, the Regiment revealed: “While executing the standard normal safety precaution drill, one of its marines attached to the police marine branch accidentally discharged a single round of ammunition at the weapon clearing point.”

They stated that no unauthorised personnel were

within close proximity when this occurred, and no one was injured or harmed.

In a separate statement on the matter, Commissioner of Police Trevor Botting once again warned residents about peddling falsehoods in the public domain, urging them to balance their constitutionally enshrined freedom of expression with responsibility.

Botting stated: “I condemn completely the dissemination of fake news that is clearly malicious and intending to create harm to personal reputations. There was an accidental incident involving a firearm by a member of the TCI Regiment whilst on duty during an unloading process.

“There were no injuries, and the matter is now under investigation by the Regiment.”

in five areas: collaborative surveillance, community protection, safe and scalable care, access to countermeasures, and emergency coordination.

The WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak to be a public

health emergency of international concern in January 2020.

Although the declaration by the WHO is a significant milestone in the Covid-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Health in the Turks and Caicos Islands said it will continue to make available Covid-19 tests at its national public health laboratory as well as continued surveillance of the virus.

“Covid-19 will remain in circulation and will likely continue to evolve and will need long-term monitoring and plans to address it at the local and international level.

“The gains made during the pandemic as well as lessons learned will continue to be incorporated in order to strengthen preparedness and response to future outbreaks.”

The Health Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday, May 9, 2023, that it will continue to strengthen its health systems, continue active risk communications and community engagement, implement a One

Health approach to preparedness and response, and integrate Covid-19 surveillance and response activities into routine health programmes in line with the Emergency Committees recommendations.

The TCI reported its first case of Covid-19 on the 23rd of March 2020.

To date, the territory has reported a total of 6,588 cases and 38 deaths locally.

Commenting on the announcement by the World Health Organization, Minister of Health Hon Shaun Malcolm said: “The TCI, in recognising the declining number of tests and positive cases being identified locally, the reduction in hospitalisations with Covid-19 as well as the successful rollout of the Covid-19 vaccination and booster programme, has dropped all of its Covid-19 measures with the requirement for travellers to be fully vaccinated being removed on April 1 2023”. (Olivia Rose)

Bullet riddled vehicles discovered by police after shooting

Three bullet-riddled vehicles and several spent shells were discovered by police after responding to calls of multiple gunshots in the Kew Town and Five Cays communities. The discovery was made on Sunday, May 7, following the first report of gunfire at about 8:48 pm.

The Police Control Room received a call that gunshots were heard in Musgrove Close, Kew Town. A team of officers responded

to the scene where they retrieved several spent shell casings on the ground.

Officers also observed three vehicles – a Silver Mazda Demio, Silver Nissan Tiida and a black Dodge Caravan - with damage consistent with gunshots. No one was injured.

The second incident reportedly occurred shortly after 9 pm the same night. Police were dispatched

to an area in the vicinity of Noah Bar in Five Cays. There were no injuries reported in this incident.

Detectives of the Serious Crime Unit are investigating, and anyone with information about the shootings is advised to contact the closest police station or call Crime Stoppers. All Crime Stoppers calls are anonymous and cannot be traced in the United States or the TCI.

US visitor charged with unlawful possession of firearm and ammunition

A 23-year-old United States resident, Alex Julian Guzman has been charged in the Turks and Caicos Islands with the unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.

Mr Guzman of Wyoming, Michigan was recently charged by officers of the Serious Crime Unit of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force.

He subsequently appeared before the Supreme Court on Friday, May 5th, 2023, to answer to the charges of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition.

According to a statement from

the Police, on Tuesday, April 25, 2023, at the Providenciales International Airport, Turks and Caicos Islands, Mr Guzman unlawfully had in his possession a firearm and ammunition without being the holder of a firearm license.

He was granted $20,000 bail with conditions including, one or two sureties or $20,000 cash; and was ordered to visit the Grace Bay Police Station every Wednesday between 8 am -5 pm; Guzman was also ordered to surrender his travel documents.

A sufficiency hearing is scheduled for July 2023.

Alex Julian Guzman

Director General of the WHO, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

King Charles III crowned in extravagant coronation ceremony

BY DELANA ISLES

King Charles III was crowned over the weekend in a ceremony steeped in ancient ritual, marking the new Carolean era.

A star-studded guest list, thousands of marching soldiers and a ceremony reflecting a

millennium of history and a more modern, diverse Britain marked the occasion.

In a stately procession fit for a King, his Majesty and his wife Camilla were escorted to West Minster Abbey for the Coronation Ceremony.

As he sat upon the Coronation

Chair, he was anointed with holy oil by the Archbishop of Canterbury, who anointed His Majesty’s hands, chest and head.

Regarded as a moment between the Sovereign and God, The Anointing Screen protected the sanctity of this solemn and personal element of the Service, as the choir

sang Handel’s famous coronation anthem ‘Zadok the Priest’.

The King, dressed in symbolic vestments, was then presented with items of Regalia, each a visible reminder of his role and his responsibility to God.

These include the Supertunica: a coat of gold silk reflecting the

splendour of Christ; the Armills: gold bracelets representing sincerity and wisdom; the Sovereign’s Orb symbolising the Christian world; the Sovereign’s Sceptre with Dove to represent The King's spiritual role and the Sovereign’s Sceptre with Cross to represent His Majesty’s worldly

The first official portrait of His Majesty The King and The Royal Family (The Royal Family photo)

Members of the TCI Regiment joined the Royal Procession (The Royal Family photo)

Her Excellency Anya Williams, and Mr Darren Williams were joined by Premier Honourable C. Washington Misick and Mrs Delthia Russell-Misick for a reception at Buckingham Palace, hosted by His Majesty King Charles III on the eve of His Majesty's Coronation (TCIG photo)

power.

He then had the solid gold St. Edward’s Crown placed on his head by the archbishop.

His Majesty swore upon a Bible to govern the people with justice and mercy and to uphold the Anglican Church of England and the Presbyterian Church of Scotland.

In front of world leaders, Royals foreign and local, dignitaries and stars, the monarch declared, “I come not to be served but to serve,” and was presented as Britain’s “undoubted king”.

Inside the abbey, trumpets sounded, and the congregation of more than 2,000 shouted “God save the king!” while outside, thousands of soldiers, hundreds of

thousands of spectators and scores of protesters converged.

It was the first ceremony to include representatives of the Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, and Sikh faiths, as well as the first in which female clergy took part.

A MESSAGE FROM THE KING

On Monday, May 8, the King addressed the public via Facebook.

“As the Coronation weekend draws to a close, my wife and I just wanted to share our most sincere and heartfelt thanks to all those who have helped to make this such a special occasion.

“We pay particular tribute to the countless people who have given their time and dedication to

ensuring that the celebrations in London, Windsor and further afield were as happy, safe and enjoyable as possible.

“To those who joined in the celebrations - whether at home, at

street parties and lunches, or by volunteering in communities - we thank you, each and every one.

“To know that we have your support and encouragement, and to witness your kindness expressed in

so many different ways, has been the greatest possible Coronation gift, as we now rededicate our lives to serving the people of the United Kingdom, the Realms and Commonwealth.”

The Coronation parade (The Royal Family photo)

The Queen’s Coronation bouquet has been laid at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior at Her Majesty’s request, following yesterday’s Coronation Service. (The Royal Family photo)

Coronation Day (L-R) Governors for Cayman; TCI (Actg.); Anguilla (TCI Designate; Bermuda; Montserrat; St. Helena; Falkland Islands (TCIG photo)

King Charles III official photograph (The Royal Family photo)

‘TCHTA presidency was challenging and rewarding’ – Trevor Musgrove

He assumed the role during the height of the pandemic and as the TCI was changing its government, and though a challenging time, Trevor Musgrove says the role was nonetheless rewarding.

Recently the TCI Hotel and Tourism Association (TCHTA) hosted its annual general meeting and election of board members, with Musgrove passing the presidency of the association on to duly elected James McAnally.

Musgrove – who now serves as chair of the TCHTA - took some time to reflect on his two years heading the association.

“Through my involvement as a Board Director in previous years, I knew the role would be both challenging and rewarding.

“As an allied member, it was important to me that we worked to bring even more small businesses into the membership and forged a

better relationship with government. These were my main goals.”

In 2021, when Musgrove was first elected to the seat, the territory was moving out of its closed borders period, had a newly elected government, and many crucial decisions needed to be made for the safety and protection of the TCI and residents while balancing the need for an economic rebound.

Musgrove and his team engaged with the new ministers early to pledge their continued commitment to partnership.

This, Musgrove said, paid off.

“Thankfully, the government embraced the need for public and private stakeholders to be engaged so that the needs of the territory were addressed holistically.

“They kept us involved, and ensured feedback and data from our members were included when major decisions were being made.”

The TCHTA chairman said he is filled with pride over the accomplishments he and his outgoing Board of Directors achieved and is appreciative of the all-hands-on-deck collaboration.

During the period of his presidency, the organisation launched its member-2-member programme, which significantly strengthened the network of businesses and encouraged participation. He said he is looking forward to its expansion.

Over the past two years, the TCHTA assisted the government with airport overcrowding after the reopening of the territory’s borders, lobbying the CDC on the TCI’s COVID status, and the setting up of multiple COVID testing sites for visitors and residents.

The organisation also provided

Former president of the TCHTA (TCHTA photo)

Police Force increased spending as murders racked up in 2022 – Commissioner

An upsurge in barbaric homicides in the TCI resulted in significant spending on pathology, forensics, and the overtime budget for the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force during the last fiscal year.

In 2022, an unprecedented wave of violence gripped the Turks and Caicos Islands which saw a whopping 35 murders representing a significant leap over the 14 murders seen in 2021.

According to the Commissioner of Police Mr. Trevor Botting who debriefed the Appropriations Committee of the House of Assembly on Friday May 5, 2023 , the increase in spending was “unavoidable given the high number of murders last year”.

Botting told the Committee that the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force had to refocus its priorities in 2022 to deal with the sharp increase in gun and gangrelated violence.

He said: “Last year we saw the surge in crime and it did lead to an increase and I'm sure you'll understand why spending on overtime and other budget lines are predominantly related.”

Botting stressed that funds were also spent on accommodating some 24 police officers from The Royal Bahamas Police Force who were deployed to directly support the specialist Firearms and Response Units during the height of rampant gang violence in the territory.

“Bringing in some specialist policing support from our colleagues in the Royal Bahamas Police Force …we didn't cover salaries, I'm grateful to the

‘TCHTA presidency was challenging and ...

CONTINUED FROM  14

input for the controversial beach vending policy; lobbied for swift and aggressive responses to crime, endorsed the gun amnesty programme, engage with the Ministry of Tourism and DMO consultants and provided data for inclusion in the vaccination mandate at Cabinet discussions.

“We have also maintained our focus on community efforts and ensured that during our milestone 30th anniversary year in 2022, our calendar included various activities engaging the community because we simply couldn’t do it without them,” Musgrove said.

He said he is pleased to have been at the helm to see the TCHTA’s signature programmes ‘TCI Shines’, ‘Hospitality Adventures’ and ‘Hello Tourist’ come back after the necessary hiatus, and the association’s premier luxury magazine, ‘Destination’, return to resorts rooms and the international market.

The Chairman shared that it was “bittersweet” leaving the presidency but reflected that the time he served allowed him to play a more active role in the important work the association does. “I’ve

enjoyed every minute.”

Musgrove said he did his best to lead with integrity and purpose and will fully support the new President, as was done for him by his predecessor.

McAnally will lead a new Board of Directors for the 2023 to 2025 term.

“Jamie is a committed and dedicated individual with a love for everything Turks and Caicos. He has been a part of the association for many years as a director and is a head-down, hands-to-the-wheel gentleman.

“Always hard at work, and always thinking ahead for what can be done to make Brand TCI even stronger. He is also passionate about protecting our natural resources which is a great benefit as we move toward stronger sustainability efforts for the country,” the former president shared.

He said he was humbled by the wave of support and encouragement he received throughout his tenure, thanking everyone who advised or encouraged him along the way.

“I will forever be appreciative of your support.”

accommodation vehicles and subsistence for the officers that supported us in our work.

The increase in murders also resulted in increasing spending on pathology, forensics, and DNA.

“I know you'll understand what's been unavoidable given the high number of murders last year we experienced.”

Botting further explained that the Police Force has formed a small and dedicated team to weedout drug traffickers and dealers as well as those who are in possession of illegal firearms.

and building relationships with our US counterparts.

“With us, currently are a number of experienced detectives in the UK, which I know you're aware of, which again, is funded by the UK Government in response to what we experienced last year and they are fully integrated with our local team and working well and we're starting to see the fruits of a lot of hard work, but also the additional capacity to be able to investigate serious crime that is really important to the TCI.”

commissioner and the government of Bahamas for that but of course, we did have to provide

He said: “We saw an increase in activity across those areas last year so we are very focused on that and that is a mixture of again some support from UK that is led by local officers which is really important when we are reaffirming

The Police Commissioner who also recently told the National Security Council (NSC) that serious crime trajectory is decreasing, explained that the Force is also gearing its focus

(Right) Commissioner of Police Mr. Trevor Botting addressing the Appropiations Committee

The Royal Game

Kings, pawns, and the joy of fortifying the spirit

A good book is like a good friend, conceivably a lifelong friend. On occasion, such a friend has the ability to provide not only spellbinding entertainment but also wise counsel which can never be superseded by anyone or anything. There are a handful of books that have accompanied me on my life’s journey so far and not only can I remember exactly the age I was when I first read them but also the exhilaration that comes from reading something that genuinely broadens your horizons or quite literally places you on a trajectory you had never expected. A good book has this power, and I can’t remember a day when I have not been utterly amazed by the power of the written word, especially when you couple this with compelling storytelling and a vivid imagination.

When reading the title of this column, readers may have assumed that this week’s piece is about the recent coronation of King Charles III and its historical significance to this blessed archipelago. I have, however, not ventured down this particular rabbit hole. While I couldn’t help but be impressed by the pomp and circumstance of the

BY TITUS DE BOER

Titus de Boer was born in Hamburg and spent his formative years in the West Indies. After a formal education in Germany and subsequent training as a journalist, he moved to the TCI in 1989. These days he works as a residency consultant for Titan Services. (www.titanservices.biz). Readers wishing to contact Titus with ideas and/or suggestions for columns, can to so on tdbtci@aol.com.

regal event, I have to ask why a child born of this country couldn’t have a shot at becoming head of state. I understand and respect the arguments for having a monarchy, such as providing a country with a sense of tradition, stability, and continuity. And yet, despite their imperfections, I do have a genuine affection for state systems where a child of this country can dream of one day attaining the top job. Dream on? Perhaps, but for now, that child and everyone else will continue to hail a head of state who inherited his role, a monarch from a faraway country “long to reign over us”. But let’s move on from this.

The real reason behind the title of this week’s article is to introduce one of my favourite pieces of literature. If I had to make a list of my top ten books of all time, “The Royal Game”, written in 1941 by

Austrian author Stefan Zweig, would be a strong contender for second place. The story of The Royal Game revolves around a chess match on board an ocean liner bound for South America between two passengers, namely a character known only as Dr B and the fictional world chess champion, Mirko Czentovic. As the story progresses, we learn that Dr B’s knowledge of chess is founded on his own bitter and brutal experience of being held in total isolation by the Gestapo (Nazi Secret Police). Before his incarceration, Dr B manages to steal a chess handbook of past masters’ games which he plays ceaselessly in his head with increasing pathological fervour so that he is completely obsessed and overwhelmed by the game. Now, years after his ordeal and as he agrees to play against Czentovic,

Dr B revisits the mental grief and torment caused by his “chess intoxication”.

Yes, this is a book about chess - and yet it isn’t. While that may sound nonsensical, some readers may recollect the highly acclaimed Netflix series “The Queen’s Gambit”. A TV show about chess? Or about the dreams, struggles and aspirations of a brilliantly intelligent young woman — who also happens to be a world-class chess player. Whichever way you see it, both these works of fiction were well-written and immensely entertaining. The Royal Game is as much a page-turner as The Queen’s Gambit was binge-worthy.

If reading this column has stirred your interest in the writings of Stefan Zweig I can only saygood. He may not be a household name anymore, still Zweig was at

the height of his literary career, in the 1920s and 1930s, one of the most popular and most widely translated writers in the world. And for good reason. His novels are, in my opinion, exceptional and have certainly stood the test of time. As have his historical studies of famous literary figures, such as Honoré de Balzac, Charles Dickens, and Fyodor Dostoevsky, as well as his biographies on Mary Stuart and Marie Antoinette. I believe all of Zweig’s novels are still in print and the English translations that are out there are excellent.

Appropriately, I’d like to conclude this column with the words of the writer of one of the best works of fiction about chess ever written… “But is it not already an insult to call chess anything so narrow as a game? Is it not also a science, an art…an art without an artwork, an architecture without substance and yet demonstrably more durable in its essence and actual form than all books and works, the only game that belongs to all peoples and all eras, while no one knows what god put it on earth to deaden boredom, sharpen the mind, and fortify the spirit?”

Chess players on Salt Cay, Elphina de Boer and Linval Wilson, starting a match of ‘The Royal Game’. (Photo: Titus de Boer

The Royal Game by Austrian author Stefan Zweig. Written in 1941, it is considered to be one of the best stories ever written about chess. (Book Cover: Pushkin Press)

The Queen’s Gambit. This 2020 Netflix miniseries received a very positive response from the global chess community for its accurate depictions of chess, and the increased public interest it garnered in the game. (Photo: Netflix)

Education minister joins panel at Education World Forum 2023

Minister of Education, Honourable Rachel Taylor joined educators from around the world this week at the Education World Forum held in London from May 7 to 10.

The annual forum is the largest gathering of education and skills ministers, providing a unique platform to mobilise political commitment and engagement of key education stakeholders from around the world.

Joining Minister Taylor and her team at the four-day event was Her Excellency Anya Williams, Governor (ag). Members of the

minister’s team were Director of Education, Edgar Howell; President and CEO of the TCI Community College, Dr Candice Williams, and the Curriculum Development Officer, Elisann Delancy.

The theme for this year’s event was New Beginnings: Nurturing Learning Culture, Building Resilience, Promoting Sustainability. Stronger, Bolder, Better Education by Design’.

The sessions on Monday focused on lessons learned, Trends, Resilience and Innovation, central

themes of the forum.

As a highlight, Taylor presented on one of several prestigious panel discussions. The topic for her panel discussion was ‘What role can and should education play in building sustainability? How can we accelerate from policy to implementation?’

The session was co-shared with the Director of Education and Skills OECD, Andreas Schleicher and the Minister of Education for Ghana, Hon Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum.

A statement from the ministry affirmed the tremendous strides

Police Force increased spending as murders racked ...

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towards a multi-agency framework for law enforcement activity dubbed– ‘Operation Pursuit’.

Operation Pursuit will see the maritime branch of the force working with international cooperation from the US, Canadian and British government's to strengthen intelligence gathering, surveillance and air surveillance in an effort to tackle irregular migration threats more aggressively through proactive patrols of shared territorial waters.

The proposed multiagency framework will target undocumented migrants, business and liquor licence premises, construction sites and road traffic offenders.

He noted that the Force is investing heavily in the training of staff as the multi-agency operation comes to fruition.

He said: “So its command training not just for policing, but for our colleagues from Immigration Customs, the regiment, at the airport, a truly multi-agency effort.

“We're building a very broad and efficient professional law enforcement capability to tackle the national security threats that we face here on the TCI.”

COMMUNITY POLICING

In an effort to proactively address the immediate conditions thata give rise to public safety issues such as crime, social disorder, and fear of crime, Botting stressed that the Force is gearing much of its energy and resources to Community policing this year.

He said: “ We remain committed to our vision and to our mission and to have a safe and secure TCI, this year we are committed to rolling out the community policing plan.

“Again, that was stalled last year understandably so because we had to realign our resources to where most harm was been committed, we have a number of officers away at training school …but when they're back, we'll be releasing some experienced officers into the Community Policing Team to

further expand our plans across the TCI.”

The Police Commissioner underscored that while the Force will continue to work hard to operate a budget that reflects the “best value for public spending”, the nature of crime fighting demands that the government and by extension the Police Force will be faced with unexpected threats or changes that will affect budgetary allocations.

Minister of Finance Honorable Erwin Saunders recently revealed during his draft budget estimates that funding for the Royal Turks and Caicos Police Force is $35.9m (8.8% of planned Expenditure), of which $3.1m is allocated for the S.I.P.T.

He said: “The Royal Turks and Caicos Police Force is budgeting that over 50 vacant positions will be filled during the financial year.

“Also included in the allocation is a 10% increase granted during the last financial year, as well as allocations for increments”, he said.

it has made over the years in addressing sustainability and promoting resilience in the TCI.

Taylor stated: “Because of some of our achievements, we are poised to not only learn from others but to share many lessons and best practices on a global platform such as the Education World Forum.”

The team also hosted bilateral meetings with several partners with whom TCI hopes to build future relationships, the release states. These include the Fulbright Scholarship Program and the

Northern Consortium UK, a consortium of the UK’s leading universities.

The Minister and team members were also scheduled to visit various schools and colleges to gain insights on strengthening the delivery of technical vocational education and training (TVET) and special education services for children and families.

Minister Taylor is also scheduled to join the Hon Premier in Manchester for the wellpublicised meeting with students and members of the diaspora.

Autopsy reveals Edrin Siffard was murdered

– decomposing remains retrieved earlier by cops

Fifty-year-old Edrin Siffard is the territory’s fourth murder for the year, a determination that was made on Wednesday following an autopsy on his remains.

On Sunday, May 7, the body of the 50-year-old Haitian national was recovered by police after residents reported seeing a man lying motionless in the vicinity of South Dock Road in Providenciales.

According to reports from police, at about 9:48 pm on Sunday, May 7, a call was placed to the Chalk Sound police station, informing officers that a man was seen lying motionless on the ground in an area near Silverado Road.

Officers were immediately dispatched to the area near the Mompremier Towing Company, located off South Dock Road.

Upon arriving at the scene, they discovered that the man was dead, his body in a state of decomposition.

Preliminary investigations revealed the man to be Edrin Siffard of Haiti.

On Wednesday, the autopsy revealed that he died from injuries associated with multiple gunshot wounds.

The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force has officially classified his killing as a murder and investigations are continuing by the Serious Crime Unit.

Anyone who can assist police in their investigations is urged to notify the closest police station or contact Crime Stoppers.

All Crime Stoppers calls are answered in Miami and in Houston by Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers which is a non-profit and not a police agency.

Minister Rachel Taylor as part of the discussion panel (TCIG photo)

Team TCI: Curriculum Development Officer Elsiann Delancy, President and CEO Turks and Caicos Community College Dr Candice Williams, acting Governor H.E. Anya Williams, Director of Education Edgar Howell, and the Minister of Education Hon Rachel Taylor. (TCIG photo)

Cannabis and passports feature in Burt talks with Britain

David Burt brought up cannabis reform and passport issues during a meeting with the British minister for Overseas Territories.

The talks formed part of the Premier’s visit to London to attend the coronation of King Charles III.

Mr Burt tweeted: “I met with Lord Goldsmith, Minister for the Overseas Territories to discuss a range of issues related to Bermuda and her people.

“It is vital that outstanding matters such as the BMU Code in our passports, cannabis reform and the extension of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities are advanced.

“I am hopeful that after our discussions there will be positive advances on these issues which are important for the people we serve in Bermuda.”

The Government’s controversial moves to explore self-governance for Bermuda were not mentioned in the Premier’s tweet.

Rena Lalgie, the Governor, announced in September that she had been “instructed” by the British foreign secretary not to give Royal Assent to the Government’s flagship Cannabis Licensing Act, which would have made possession and production of the drug legal.

Mr Burt had earlier warned that refusal to approve the cannabis legislation threatened to “destroy” the island’s relationship with Britain.

Ms Lalgie has also announced that a coding discrepancy on Bermudian passports that has caused travel

headaches for almost seven years will be corrected in 2024.

“The UK Government has confirmed that work will shortly commence to return the Bermudaspecific BMU code to Bermudian British Overseas Territory Citizen passports in 2024,” a Government House statement said last month.

Travel problems with the passport code surfaced after May 2016, when the printing of Bermudian passports was taken over by Britain.

The biometric chip of Bermudian passports caused chaos in a string of countries, particularly at ports

of entry to the United States other than the US pre-clearance at LF Wade International Airport.

The code GBR, for Great Britain, would appear when passport data was scanned instead of BMU, the country code for Bermuda.

Mr Burt also tweeted that he had talks with Fahad bin Mohammed Al-Attiyah, Qatar’s ambassador to Britain.

The Premier said: “As Bermuda seeks to expand its reach beyond North America and Europe, it is essential that we cultivate relationships with countries in the Gulf region like Qatar.”

THE Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) this week said it has noted that the Constitution of Saint Lucia (Amendment) Act has been assented to by the Governor General of Saint Lucia and that state has now officially acceded to the CCJ’s Appellate Jurisdiction.

On behalf of the CCJ, President of the court, Justice Adrian Saunders extended congratulations to the people of Saint Lucia on the occasion.

“Saint Lucia now becomes the fifth CARICOM nation to take this defining step and the CCJ welcomes the opportunity to serve the citizens of that country. Statistics collated by the Court in 2022 reveal that in each Caribbean state that has acceded to the CCJ’s appellate jurisdiction, the volume of cases being heard by that country’s final court annually has at least doubled, thereby contributing to the dynamism of the country’s jurisprudence and considerably expanding access to justice for its citizenry. We have no doubt that

Saint Lucia too will have a similar experience.

“The Honourable Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, Dame Janice Pereira, and the President of the Saint Lucia Bar Association, Ms Diana Thomas Hunte, have been written to advising of the readiness of the CCJ’s Registry staff to assist Saint Lucian court officials, litigants and counsel alike in the use of the CCJ’s electronic filing and case management portals in order to facilitate access to the Court.

“The CCJ looks forward to serving the people of Saint Lucia as we do all the states and people of the Caribbean Community and in particular, those of Guyana, Barbados, Belize and the Commonwealth of Dominica, whose final appeals we hear.

“The CCJ looks forward to more CARICOM states accessing the CCJ’s Appellate Jurisdiction in the future”, Justice Saunders said. (Stabroek News)

Officials still trying to get Cayman off grey list

Financial Services Minister André Ebanks, Attorney General Samuel Bulgin and other government officials were in Mexico last week continuing efforts to get the Cayman Islands off the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list of jurisdictions when it comes to money laundering. Cayman is still on the ‘watch’ list, as concerns remain about the lack of successful money laundering investigations or prosecutions.

The delegation met with the Americas Joint Group (Joint Group), a sub-working group of the FATF’s International Co-operation Review Group (ICRG), to update them on the latest developments regarding that remaining area of weakness.

be on the grey list.

If the jurisdiction is to be removed, that is expected to happen at the following plenary, which will be in October.

Since the last meeting, when Cayman remained on the list, Canover Watson and Bruce Blake received stiff sentences in a fraud case after the two football executives with CIFA and CONCACAF were convicted of various offences, including false accounting and money laundering.

This case has been held up as an example of the jurisdiction’s efforts to tackle financial crime.

Efforts to get off the grey list may also have been assisted by the amendments to seven pieces of legislation that were passed in

parliament last month that will help strengthen the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority’s powers to apply proportionate and dissuasive sanctions to all types of legal entities within its supervision.

Amendments to the Monetary Authority Act will also allow CIMA to spontaneously share nonpublic information of criminal conduct uncovered during its normal course of duties with an overseas regulatory authority.

After Mexico, Ebanks headed to London, where he will join Premier Wayne Panton this week and take part in several events, including a meeting with Cayman Finance and the Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council plenary sessions.

The Caribbean Court of Justice is located in Trinidad and Tobago St Lucia accedes to CCJ

Premier David Burt (left) and Lord Goldsmith

Cayman Islands is still on the ‘watch’ list, as concerns remain about the lack of successful money laundering investigations or prosecutions

The group will report its findings to FATF ahead of its plenary in June, when a public statement

will be released about the status of jurisdictions on its monitoring list and whether or not Cayman will

Taxation advocates call on King to look at Overseas Territories

King Charles has been urged to take action against Bermuda and other “tax havens” that are “complicit” in global tax abuses.

The call was made by the Tax Justice Network, a group of activists and researchers calling for an overhaul of the global tax system.

In an open letter to His Majesty, Alex Cobham, the chief executive of the group, said: “Regrettably, the financial regulations of Your Majesty’s jurisdictions can be arguably said to pose the biggest non-violent threat in the world to human rights.

“It brings me no pleasure to highlight to Your Majesty — as the Head of State and Sovereign of the Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories — that the British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Bermuda and Jersey all rank above Ireland on the Corporate Tax Haven Index 2021, our ranking of jurisdictions most complicit in helping multinational corporations underpay corporate tax.

“Ireland ranks 11th and is immediately followed by the Bahamas in 12th and the United Kingdom in 13th.

“The UK, the Crown

Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories are collectively responsible for facilitating nearly 40 per cent of the tax revenue losses that countries around the world suffer annually to profit shifting by multinational corporations and to offshore tax evasion by primarily wealthy and powerful individuals.

“This makes the UK and its network of satellite tax havens the world’s biggest enabler of global tax abuse.

“These tax havens continue to disadvantage their own inhabitants as well as some of the poorest people globally — and of course the people of the UK.”

Mr Cobham said he hoped that the King’s coronation, which took place on Saturday, will be “a pivotal moment“ in addressing the ”heavy financial and human cost“ of tax havens.

Mr Cobham said Overseas Territories were “encouraged down the road of tax havenry” after the Second World War, and that Britain now had a duty to reverse the trend.

He said: “Many of today’s British satellite tax havens are an

unresolved legacy from that time, having been facilitated to develop as financial and secrecy centres as the British empire began to change in the 20th century.

“Rather than beginning to pay reparations for the violence, enslavement and extraction of the British empire, the UK’s ‘second empire’ is continuing to add to the debts that we owe.

“The scale of that debt is almost certainly unpayable. At a minimum, however, the time has surely come to stop the clock running. That means reversing the policies that support financial secrecy and profit shifting, and keep the UK’s second empire as the most damaging actor globally.“

The letter, which was copied to Rishi Sunak, the British Prime Minister, also condemned Britain for its failure to adopt global practices on financial reporting.

Mr Cobham said: “The EU and Australia are moving ahead to increase transparency in this area while the UK remains resolutely opaque.

“While successive editions of our Financial Secrecy Index show that the world is successfully

curbing financial secrecy, the UK sticks out as one of the few backsliders who are dramatically increasing their supply of financial secrecy to the world.

“The overall effect is that the UK’s network of tax havens over

which Your Majesty is Sovereign continues to facilitate crossborder tax abuse and other illicit financial flows at global expense. Internationally, the UK is now standing in the way of the march of progress.” (Royal Gazette)

New stained-glass windows in Commons reflect UK links to OTs and Crown Dependencies

Two new stained-glass windows depicting the heraldic shields of the British Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies were unveiled this week in Speaker’s House in the House of Commons.

All 16 overseas territories and the three Crown Dependencies are represented in the two windows within Speaker’s House.

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said the works of art, which he unveiled on Tuesday, “would be a permanent and tangible reminder of the strong and close links between the UK and its wider family”.

“In my opinion, the OTs and dependencies have been overlooked for too long - yet many of the decisions we make here in the UK have a huge impact on their futures,” he said.

“They are important to me – they are part of our United Kingdom family - and I want to provide them with a platform on which

Education and Environment, was present at the event and posted an image of himself in front of the windows.

The stained glass windows feature coats of arms from Akrotiri and Dhekelia, Anguilla, Ascension, Bermuda, British Antarctic Territory, British Indian Ocean Territories, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, St Helena, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Tristan da Cunha, Turks and Caicos, Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man.

Each of the window lancets displays the coats of arms delineated in a circle, and one lancet shows the group of arms linked by an intertwining rose and leaf pattern to the coat of arms of Sir Lindsay.

This features three Lancashire roses, bees from his home village of Adlington in Lancashire, the key of Gibraltar and a Rugby League

ball.

The other group of arms is linked to those of John Evelyn Denison, the first Speaker to live in Speaker’s House (Speaker from 1857-72).

The original windows dated from 1858 and possibly contained the arms of Speaker Denison. However, those windows have long since been removed and were replaced by plain, plate glass.

The new design, created by John Reyntiens Glass Studio - the same London-based stain-glassed window specialists who recently reglazed the Big Ben clock dials with new, mouth-blown glass – is sympathetic to the original Pugininspired windows and décor at the entrance to Speaker’s House.

The British Virgin Islands’ Dr the Hon Natalio Wheatley said the window “acknowledged the importance of the Territory and its people” and “their contributions to our shared history and heritage.”

King Charles III and King Camilla

All 16 overseas territories and the three Crown Dependencies are represented in the two windows within Speaker’s House

to speak, to air their concerns, to share experiences and to enable us to learn from each other.”

“From now on, every single person coming into Speaker’s House will be reminded of how closely we are connected.”

The windows were unveiled at a reception and dinner on Tuesday hosted by Sir Lindsay, who is a long-time supporter of Gibraltar and is Chancellor of the University of Gibraltar.

Dr John Cortes, the Minister for

World News

Brexit: Rishi Sunak broke his word over EU laws, says Jacob Rees-Mogg

FORMER Conservative minister Jacob Rees-Mogg has accused Rishi Sunak of breaking his word after the government ditched plans to allow thousands of EU-era laws to expire by the end of 2023.

Defending the move, Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch told MPs the government was still “ending EU supremacy” but just “changing how we are doing it”.

She said it showed Brexiteers could be “pragmatic” and “do what is right”.

But Mr Rees-Mogg said the deadline would “make Whitehall work”.

Speaking to the BBC’s Today programme, he said: “It is hard enough to motivate Whitehall at the best of times - they are not necessarily coming into the office, they don’t seem to be working with the efficiency one would like.

“Without a deadline, nothing will happen and we will retain these EU laws for a long time.”

Mr Rees-Mogg, who championed the deadline when he was business secretary last year, said getting rid of the laws would help make the UK’s economy more competitive and reduce inflation. Of the PM, he said: “He has broken his word. This is very serious in my view”.

Dave Penman, the head of the

FDA Union which represents senior civil servants, hit back at suggestions the civil service were to blame, saying the deadline was “an inevitability”.

“It was a bizarre way of doing business in government to say that unless we get to a certain point in time, any piece of legislation will simply fall away.”

During his unsuccessful bid to be Conservative leader in the summer, Mr Sunak sought to attract members’ votes by putting out a campaign video which saw bundles of EU laws being shredded.

Mr Rees-Mogg is not the only Conservative MP upset at the government’s decision to scrap the 2023 deadline.

‘MASSIVE CLIMBDOWN’

On Wednesday, 20 Tory backbenchers went to see the chief whip Simon Hart to express their concern, and some MPs went into Downing Street to do the same. And during an urgent question in Parliament on the subject, several Conservative MPs criticised the move.

“What on earth are you playing at?” asked Mark Francois as

he accused the government of performing a “massive climbdown”.

Dominic Raab - who resigned as justice secretary last month - urged ministers to “resist the resistance” in Whitehall.

However, ministers received support from other Conservative backbenchers - Sir Bob Neill said he now felt more able to support the bill, because gaps in the legislation had been “sensibly filled”.

The divisions in the Conservative Party over Brexit are far from as serious as they were under Theresa May. But there are still spits over the pace and extent of divergence from Europe.

When the UK officially left the EU in 2020, the UK incorporated thousands of EU laws into UK law to minimise disruption to businesses - with an ongoing audit by civil servants having identified 4,800 so far.

‘ABSOLUTE SHAMBLES’

The Retained EU Law Bill, introduced during Liz Truss’s premiership, set a 31 December 2023 deadline, after which most of the laws would have expired unless ministers decided to replaced or retain them.

Critics - including opposition parties, trade unions and campaign

groups - had argued that the deadline was unrealistic and could lead to important legislation being lost by accident.

Environmental groups had been particularly concerned warning about a loss of rights and legal protections in areas including water quality, air pollution standards and protections for wildlife.

Setting out the decision on Wednesday to scrap the deadline, Ms Badenoch said the cut-off point would be replaced with a list of 600 laws the government wants to replace by the end of the year.

She said that list was “not the limit of the government’s ambition” and that ministers expected to have repealed more than 2,000 pieces of rule by the end of the year.

Labour’s shadow business minister Justin Madders, described the situation as an “absolute shambles”.

“It was completely unrealistic, reckless and frankly arrogant to think they could strike 4,000 laws from the statute book in the timescale.”

The SNP’s Kirsten Oswald’s described the bill as “damaging” and “anti-democratic” and expressed concern that UK ministers would still have the power to act in areas that are devolved to Scotland. (BBC)

Biden visit Northern Ireland to ensure ‘Brits didn’t screw around’

US President Joe Biden has said his visit to Northern Ireland last month was to ensure “the Brits didn’t screw around”.

He was speaking at a Democratic Party event in New York on Wednesday.

Mr Biden undertook a four-day visit to Ireland in April to mark 25 years since the Good Friday Agreement.

The trip also focused on the president’s Irish ancestry with the majority of his time spent in the Republic of Ireland.

On Wednesday, Mr Biden said: “I got to go back to Ireland for the, for the, the Irish Accords, to make sure they weren’t, the Brits didn’t screw around and Northern Ireland didn’t walk away from their commitments.”

Before setting off for his visit to Belfast, Mr Biden told reporters his priority was to “keep the peace” in Northern Ireland.

During his stay, commentators remarked on his limited contact with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

The White House said both leaders “reaffirmed their shared

The US president urged politicians to return to power-sharing at Stormont

commitment” to the Good Friday Agreement.

The 1998 deal brought an end to the Troubles - the decades-long violent conflict in Northern Ireland in which thousands of people were killed.

The president urged politicians to make a return to power-sharing

during his speech at Ulster University’s Belfast campus on 12 April.

The Northern Ireland Executive collapsed last year when the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) pulled out as part of a protest against post-Brexit trade rules for Northern Ireland.

A new Brexit deal for Northern Ireland, called the Windsor Framework, was formally adopted by the UK and EU in March, however, the DUP has yet to drop its protest.

In response to President Biden’s remarks on Thursday, a Downing Street spokesperson said “the UK

priority was always protecting the Good Friday Agreement”.

“We are pleased between the UK and EU we have reached an agreement that works,” they added.

During his visit in April, President Biden said: “Effective devolved government that reflects the people of Northern Ireland, and is accountable to them, that works to find ways to face hard problems together will grow greater opportunities for the region.”

He said he hoped the assembly and executive would be soon restored along with opportunities to facilitate cross-border relationships.

“That’s a decision for you to make, not for me to make. Northern Ireland will not go back, pray God.”

Later that week, Mr Biden addressed tens of thousands of people in his ancestral home of Ballina, County Mayo.

During his speech he said the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement was a reminder of “what you can accomplish when we work together in common cause”. (BBC)

Mr Rees-Mogg championed the deadline when he was business secretary last year

Bank of England hikes interest rates for 12th time in battle with inflation

The Bank of England raised interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point Thursday, hiking the cost of borrowing for the twelfth consecutive time as it battles inflation above 10%.

The decision takes the main borrowing rate for commercial banks in the United Kingdom to 4.5%, the highest since October 2008. It comes a week after the US Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank also raised rates by a quarter-point.

The Bank of England was the world’s first major central bank to raise interest rates after the pandemic in December 2021, but inflation has remained stubbornly high in the United Kingdom due to soaring food and energy prices, and a tight jobs market.

“The [monetary policy]

committee has voted to increase bank rate by 0.25 percentage points, to 4.5%, at this meeting. In doing so, the MPC is continuing to address the risk of more persistent strength in domestic price and wage setting,” the Bank of England said in a statement.

Data last month showed the annual rate of inflation fell to 10.1% in March, from 10.4% in February, still far higher than in the United States and Europe.

Food prices jumped 19.2% on the previous year — the biggest increase in more than 45 years — as the price of bread and cereals rose at a record clip.

Meanwhile, year-on-year growth in regular pay, which excludes bonuses, was 6.6% in the three months to February

2023, ONS data showed. UK wage growth, which is also higher than in the United States and Europe, has added to the inflation problem, even though pay rises have not kept pace with surging prices.

The Bank of England’s job is made more difficult by the fact that the UK economy is expected to shrink this year. That’s because interest rate hikes are a drag on the economy as they make loans and mortgages more expensive, weighing on spending by businesses and consumers. UK gross domestic product is expected to shrink by 0.3% this year, in what would be the worst performance of any major developed economy, according to the International Monetary Fund. (CNN)

US border crisis: El Paso readies for rise in crossings as end of Title 42 looms

A record number of migrants were recently apprehended at the US-Mexico border in a single day, fuelling fears over what will happen in a few hours when a controversial immigration policy expires.

The rule, known as Title 42, was first implemented in 2020 and made it easier for the US to expel migrants back to Mexico using the coronavirus pandemic as justification.

But its looming expiration at 23:59 ET on Thursday (03:59 GMT on Friday) has triggered a rush to reach the border, and cities on both sides are readying for a rise in attempted crossings once it lapses.

President Joe Biden acknowledged earlier this week that the border would be “chaotic for a while” despite the best efforts of the authorities.

The potential impact is already clear in the Texas city of El Paso, which is seeing an increase in arrivals ahead of the rule change.

Migrants - many of them confused about the impending change - are sleeping rough in makeshift campsites on the city’s streets. Several thousand were camped out earlier this week around a church in the city centre.

“We’ve never seen this before,” Mayor Oscar Leeser said at a border security expo just streets away from the campsite on Wednesday. “Something has to change. As a community, we can’t do this forever.”

He warned that across from El Paso alone, an estimated 10,000 migrants were “lined up at the border, waiting to come in”.

Joe Sanchez, the regional director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, compared the situation to a stampede at a football game - only many times larger.

“Imagine 60,000 people in one location, and all of a sudden an alert comes on and says there’s a bomb in the building. What happens after that? Chaos… It’s very hard to control and very hard to manage,” he told the BBC.

“That’s exactly what it’s like on the border.”

For those migrants - and those

already in the US - the future is uncertain.

In a bid to stop the flow, the Biden administration introduced strict new rules for asylum seekers on Wednesday, which included barring those who cross illegally from applying from asylum for five years.

US officials have also announced new changes aimed at encouraging migrants to seek legal pathways to the country, as well as strict penalties and swift deportation for those who do not.

Moreover, about 24,000 law enforcement officers have been stationed along the length of the 2,000 mile (3,218km) border, along

with thousands of National Guard troops and active-duty military personnel sent to help Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

The new measures come at a challenging time for the CBP. In the El Paso sector alone, officers have seen a sharp rise in attempted crossings over the past six months and are carrying out hundreds of detentions every day.

Authorities in the city have been left to contend both with unprocessed migrants who crossed illegally, and those who have been released from detention to await a court date with an immigration judge. Some migrants in El Paso told the BBC they would have to

wait years before they appear in court.

And just days before Title 42 expires, officials here have launched an enforcement operation asking migrants to head to the nearest processing facility.

Those who were found to have legitimate asylum claims were given dates to appear before an immigration judge, while others were detained for eventual removal. One woman told the BBC that her court date was in 2025 in Miami, Florida.

Migrants in the area also said that some had run, fearful of deportation, while others had reluctantly presented themselves to CBP officers in the hopes that they would be allowed to stay.

“It was crazy. They came to tell us early in the morning, when it was still dark,” said Luis Angel, a 29-year-old Cuban who was paroled into El Paso awaiting his court date. “Some of my friends are still detained.”

Speaking on Wednesday, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said that much of the problem stemmed from smugglers who had “been hard at work spreading false information that the border will be open” after 11 May.

“It will not be. They are lying,” he added. “We urge migrants once again not to believe the smugglers who are lying to them solely to make a profit. We are building lawful pathways for you to come to the United States.”

The Bank of England was the world’s first major central bank to raise interest rates after the pandemic in December 2021

Migrants are camped out at a church in El Paso ahead of Title 42 ending

World News

George Santos: Congressman pleads not guilty to fraud charges

Scandal-plagued Republican congressman George Santos has pleaded not guilty to more than a dozen federal charges, including fraud and money laundering.

The 34-year-old is accused of misusing funds, lying to Congress about his income and illegally receiving unemployment benefits.

Outside the New York court, he called the investigation a “witch hunt”.

Since he first took office in January it has emerged that much of his biography was fabricated.

If convicted of the top charges, the New York representative could face up to 20 years in prison.

Mr Santos was released on a $500,000 (£400,000) bail bond, secured by three individuals whose identities were not released.

Outside the federal court in Long Island on Wednesday afternoon, a defiant Mr Santos said he would not resign, and vowed to “keep fighting” for his district.

“This is the beginning of the ability for me to address and defend myself,” he said.

He will be confined to his home state of New York, to Washington DC and places in between. Other travel must be approved in advance.

The congressman spoke just once during the hearing, telling the judge “yes ma’am”, according to the Associated Press. He was

Mr Santos has been accused of participating in three elaborate fraud schemes

fingerprinted and had a mugshot taken. His next court appearance is scheduled for 30 June.

The 20-page, 13-count indictment alleges the Republican participated in three elaborate fraud schemes.

First, according to federal prosecutors, Mr Santos defrauded those who gave him money for his House of Representatives campaign, instead using the funds for personal expenses including luxury designer clothing and credit card payments.

Second, Mr Santos allegedly participated in an unemployment insurance fraud scheme, claiming Covid-19 government assistance

despite earning a salary of $120,000 (£95,000) through his employment with a Florida-based investment firm - a firm that was shut down by the federal government in 2021 over allegations it was a Ponzi scheme.

Finally, prosecutors claim the Republican misled the Congress about his finances.

He faces seven counts of wire fraud, three counts of money laundering, one count of theft of public funds and two counts of making materially false statements to the House of Representatives.

US Attorney Breon Peace said the indictment “seeks to hold Santos accountable for various

alleged fraudulent schemes and brazen misrepresentations”.

“Taken together, the allegations in the indictment charge Santos with relying on repeated dishonesty and deception to ascend to the halls of Congress and enrich himself,” Mr Peace said.

The Long Island lawmaker has been embroiled in scandal since he took office in January.

He has been accused of lying about his college degrees and his work experience; violating campaign finance and conflict of interest laws; falsely claiming his grandparents survived the Holocaust; and creating a fake animal charity that he used to siphon away cash meant for a veteran’s dying dog.

Campaign finance forms uncovered by US media show a series of filings of $199.99, exactly one cent below the $200 threshold at which receipts are required, raising questions about how his election funds were being spent.

In a television interview in February, Mr Santos admitted to being a “terrible liar” in an attempt to be accepted by his party. But he insisted the lies were “not about tricking the people” and he denied any criminal wrongdoing.

In February, House Democrats filed a resolution to expel Mr Santos, a mostly symbolic action

in the Republican-controlled chamber.

He has also previously faced calls to resign from within his own party.

“I can’t wait for him to be gone,” fellow New York House Republican Marc Molinaro said on Wednesday.

Senator Mitt Romney, who confronted Mr Santos at President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address in February, said the New York representative should have resigned months ago. “I think we’re seeing that the wheels of justice grind slow, but they grind fine,” Mr Romney said.

Mr Santos recused himself from two House committees over the “ongoing attention” earlier this year, but he resisted the growing pressure to step down, announcing in April that he would seek a second term in 2024.

On Wednesday, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said that Republicans would withhold judgement until the outcome of his case.

“In America, you’re innocent until proven guilty,” he told reporters after emerging from a weekly meeting with Republican House members.

He later added he will not support the re-election bid by Mr Santos. (BBC)

The political fallout from Trump’s sexual abuse verdict

A New York jury has concluded that it is more likely than not that Donald Trump sexually abused and defamed E Jean Carroll. The verdict may be a harbinger of political and legal damage to come.

While the ruling may not make a dent in Mr Trump’s base within the Republican Party, where his supporters view the US legal system with scepticism and have stood by him through all manners of adversity, it could have a lasting sting.

The response of two Republican senators highlights the risk this moment poses to his 2024 bid to regain the White House.

“It has a cumulative effect,” said Senator John Thune of South Dakota. “People are going to have to decide if they want to deal with all the drama.”

“I don’t think he can get elected,” warned John Cornyn of Texas. “You can’t win a general election with just your base.”

In the end, Mr Trump may have been his own worst enemy in this case.

Central to Ms Carroll’s lawsuit

was the former president’s deposition testimony, in which he seemed both demeaning and defensive. He explained away his infamous Access Hollywood tape boasts about grabbing women by their genitals as reflecting a historical truth about the power of celebrities - “unfortunately or fortunately”.

Fortunately?

He said that both Ms Carroll and another woman who testified that Mr Trump sexually assaulted her were not his type - a description he also applied, voluntarily, to the female attorney conducting the deposition itself.

For a jury weighing whether Mr Trump was the kind of person capable of sexual assault - or, at least, whether he was more credible than his accuser - it was exactly the wrong attitude to present.

He also mistakenly identified a photograph of Ms Carroll as being of his former wife, Marla Maples, directly undercutting that “not his type” assertion.

In the 2020 presidential election, suburban voters, particularly

Up until now, the former president has run a fairly disciplined campaign to regain the White House in 2024

women, recoiled from Mr Trump’s brand of brash politics. The jury’s ruling in this case can only push those kinds of voters farther away from him.

The former president was defiant on his social media platform, calling the verdict a disgrace and insisting he had no idea who “this woman” was. Outside court, his lawyer told reporters Mr Trump would appeal.

Up until now, the former president has run a fairly

disciplined campaign to regain the White House in 2024. His team has methodically built up grassroots support in key primary states across the country. His focused attacks on his rival Ron DeSantis appear to be drawing blood. He has managed to turn his New York indictment into a badge of honour among his base.

The sexual abuse and defamation ruling could give his Republican opponents an avenue for attack, however. If they can rattle him

the way Ms Carroll’s lawyer did, forcing him off message and into a defensive crouch, it could knock a candidate seemingly in control of his party into committing more unforced errors.

At the very least, it is another historic first for a former president who already faces one criminal indictment and has possibly others to come.

Up until now, Mr Trump has shrugged off such legal concerns. But the New York jury’s decision lands a blow against Mr Trump in a way that mere “investigations” do not. A jury of everyday Americans have considered the evidence and found that Mr Trump did wrong. None of it bodes well for those other legal headaches, including special counsel Jack Smith’s inquiry into the former president’s involvement in the attack on the US Capitol and his handling of classified documents after he left the White House, as well as Georgia’s investigations of Mr Trump’s attempt to reverse that state’s 2020 presidential election results.

3 LABOURERS

Mixes mortar; lays bricks and stones and/or concrete sidewalks; makes and repairs steps and

JEWELRY REPAIRMAN

DOMESTIC WORKER

DOMESTIC WORKER

KERRY ALLAN HAAKONSON

DOMESTIC WORKER

Cleaning the house, laundering sheets, towels and personal clothing and other housework. Salary: $8.00

CONTACT: 241-3032

Cleaning property, pick up yard waste and collect leaves, dispose of trash, clean windows, and door frames.

CONTACT: 244-8820

CONTACT: (649) 231-7139

BELONGERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY TO THE LABOUR

LANDSCAPING SOLUTIONS

DOMESTIC WORKER

Sweeping the house, mopping the floor, clean bathrooms, toilets, kitchen, living room, etc.

CONTACT: 343-6168

FARMER LABOURER

Soil cultivation, digging, and forking, watering, raking, weeding, edging, pruning, seed sowing and planting.

Salary: $8.00 hourly

CONTACT: (649) 231-6667

CARETAKER

Help the patient get dressed, eat, bathe and complete light housekeeping duties, such as dishes or folding laundry. Plan, prepare and monitor meals. Run errands, remind patients of medications.

Salary: $8.00 Hourly

CONTACT: 348-6351

BELONGERS ONLY APPLY/RENEWAL

MIAMI VARIETY STORE

South Dock Road Is seeking to employ a MILTON

Tyrone’s Apt. #2 Sandy Ground, Five Cays Is seeking to employ a

WORKER

dispose of trash, clean windows, and doorframes.

HAIRDRESSER

cutting, and styling hair, provide hair treatments, deep conditioning, permanents, coloring, and weaving.

CONTACT: 243-1854

Fix and maintain mechanical equipment, buildings, and machines. Plumbing work, painting, flooring repair and upkeep, electrical repairs, etc.

Salary: $500.00

CONTACT: (649) 243-6860

Setting up workstations. Preparing ingredients, chopping and peeling vegetables, cutting meat etc. Cooking food in various utensils or grillers.

CONTACT: 345-9515

5 CLEANERS

Stocking and supplying designated facility areas, dusting, sweeping, cleaning restrooms, etc.

Salary: $8.00 per hour Must be willing to work on weekends and Public Holidays.

CONTACT: 244-6228

BOARD

2 BARBERS

Cutting, Trimming, Shampooing And Styling Hair Trimming Beards or Giving saves Clean & Sterilize Equipment

Salary: $8 Per Hour

PLEASE CONTACT: 649-431-1689 OR MURAD97@HOTMAIL.COM

BELONGERS ONLY APPLY WORK PERMIT RENEWAL

BABYSITTER

Ensuring a safe environment, prepare, give meals, bathing and dressing children, administering medicine, doing housework, etc. Salary: $8 Hourly

Bathing, feeding, washing, dispensing of medication and keeping the area clean at all times. Salary: $8 Hourly

Install, troubleshoot, repair and maintain production and facility equipment according to safety, predictive and productive maintenance systems.

Salary: $8.00

Help the patient get dressed, eat, bathe and complete light housekeeping duties, such as dishes or folding laundry. Plan, prepare and monitor meals. Run errands, remind patients of medications.

Salary: $8.00 hourly

CONTACT: 246-2661 36389

BELONGERS APPLY TO THE LABOUR BOARD. RENEWAL

BELONGERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY TO THE LABOUR BOARD RENEWAL

FILS AIME 36378

M.S CONSTRUCTION

Follow blueprints, building plans, build cabinets, and install windows, doors, fixtures. $11.00

Hourly

CONTACT: 341-6586

MELISSA WENDY JOSEPH

LABOURER

LABOURER

DUTIES: To assist skilled workers, Maintain all work areas.

SALARY: $8.00 per hour

CONTACT: 241-1347

CONTACT: 245-9101

CARETAKER

Duties: To care for a person who has recently undergone a medical procedure and needs assistance with daily chores.

SALARY: $8.00 per hour

CONTACT: 342-3280/342-2279

DOMESTIC WORKER

Duties: Regular household chores, And Laundry.

SALARY: $8.00 per hour

CONTACT: 242-1307

DOMESTIC WORKER

DUTIES: To assist skilled workers, Maintain all work areas.

SALARY: $8.00 per hour

Harry blames press intrusion for Chelsy break-up

The Duke of Sussex has blamed alleged illegal intrusion into his private life by journalists for the break-up of his relationship with Chelsy Davy.

In a witness statement, Prince Harry claimed Ms Davy decided that “a royal life was not for her” following repeated acts of harassment.

The claims emerged in a High Court case against Mirror Group Newspapers brought by several high profile figures.

MGN denies allegations of voicemail interception in the cases.

It also claimed some of the cases being brought are beyond a legal time limit.

Ms Davy and Prince Harry were in an on-off relationship between 2004 and 2010.

In a summary of his witness statement, the duke’s lawyers alleged unlawful activity “caused great challenges” in the relationship, and led Ms Davy to decide that “a Royal life was not for her”.

This included journalists booking into a hotel in Bazaruto, a small island off the coast of

Mozambique, where Harry and Ms Davy had tried to escape to in order to “enjoy some peace and quiet”, the document reads.

The lawyers also said that mobile phonecalling data to be used in the trial shows that Ms Davy was targeted for voicemail interception between 2007 and 2009.

The activities caused him “huge distress” and “presented very real security concerns for not only me but also everyone around me”, he said, adding that they also created “a huge amount of paranoia” in future relationships.

“Every time he was in a relationship, or even a rumoured relationship, that whole person’s family, and often their friends, would be ‘dragged into the chaos’ and find themselves the subject of unlawful activity on the part of MGN,” lawyers said.

Prince Harry’s lawyers allege that his mobile phone number was recorded in a handheld device belonging to “prolific hacker and head of news at the Sunday Mirror” Nick Buckley.

The prince is also expected to allege that he experienced what

was, in hindsight, voicemail interception in relation to 30 people with whom he had a close relationship.

He is expected to give evidence in June - the first time a senior royal will be a witness in court in modern times.

MGN has not admitted to any of the charges, although it said it “unreservedly apologises” for a separate instance of unlawful information-gathering against Harry and said that the legal challenge brought by the prince “warrants compensation”.

The article that incident referred to - regarding an MGN journalist instructing a private investigator to unlawfully gather information about Harry’s activities at the Chinawhite nightclub on one night in February 2004 - is not one of the claims being brought by the prince. MGN said it would never be repeated.

In written submissions, MGN’s barrister, Andrew Green KC, said the publisher denied that 28 of the 33 articles in Harry’s claim involved phone hacking or other unlawful information gathering.

Luis Guttierrez Rosario

DR national charged with Murder of Jamaican Chef in Grand Turk

Luis Guttierrez Rosario, a 24-year-old Dominican Republic national has been charged with murdering Stephen Asino Baker, a Jamaican National in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

According to a statement from the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force, Rosario of West Road Grand Turk was charged on Monday May 8th, 2023 following instructions received from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The charge against Rosario states that on January 15 th , 2023, in Palm Grove Grand Turk, he murdered Stephen Asino Baker, Contrary to Section 3 of the Offenses Against the Person Ordinance Chapter 3.08.

Around 3.39 am (January 15, 2023, the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force Control room received a report, that a male had been stabbed in the Palm Grove district.

Following the report, a team of officers from the Grand Turk Police Station responded to the location, where they observed

a male bleeding from what appeared to be a stab wound to the chest, the Police said.

The victim who was found lying on the ground unresponsive was later pronounced dead by a medical practitioner.

At the time of his death, Baker, 33, was a Jamaican national employed as a chef Mr. Rosario appeared before the Supreme Court today (May 09 th) and was remanded into custody. He will return to court on July 07 th for a sufficiency hearing.

Superintendent in charge of the Serious Crime Unit Dean Holden in a brief statement said: “I wish to thank the officers of the Serious Crime Unit for their dedication and commitment in bringing this case to a charge.

“I wish to further reassure and emphasise to the public and families that the RTCIPF is committed to bringing prosecutions against perpretrators and when possible, closure to persons who have lost loved ones to these senseless homicides.”

West’s presidential campaign treasurer resigns, alleges Milo Yiannopoulos fraud

Kanye West’s 2024 presidential hopes have gotten dealt a new blow.

A political campaign executive for the hip-hop artist and fashion designer, now formally known as Ye, has left the building after less than six months — on a possible mission to burn it all down.

In a letter filed Monday to the Federal Elections Commission (FEC), the treasurer of West’s informal 2024 presidential

campaign announced his resignation. He also alleged fraud in other official documentation.

According to Politico, Patrick Krason claimed that campaign adviser Milo Yiannopoulos may have broken federal campaign finance law after he “submitted falsified invoices and for expenditures that would be deemed unlawful” in relation to Kanye’s 2020 campaign, before Krason assumed the role of treasurer.

The letter referenced an expense for a “domain transfer” for which the British right-wing personality allegedly sought reimbursement from both West’s campaign and the campaign of Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Green.

In response to the allegation, Yiannopoulos told the outlet he wouldn’t “give any credence” to what he referred to as “ridiculous and easily disproven claims.”

Chelsy Davy and Prince Harry were in an on-off relationship between 2004 and 2010

AUTO SALES

REAL ESTATE

ELIZABETH

DOMESTIC WORKER

Applicant must be honest, reliable and hardworking. General housework, ironing, washing, cooking and cleaning. Salary: $8.00

CONTACT: 332-1914

CLEANER

Stocking and supplying designated facility areas, dusting, sweeping, vacuuming, mopping, restroom cleaning etc.

Salary: 8.00 Hourly

CONTACT: 241-4497

CLEANER

CONTACT: 344-4801

DOMESTIC WORKER

Sweeping, mopping, clean bathrooms, toilets, kitchen, living room, laundering sheets, towels, personal clothing, and other housework.

CONTACT: 245-9273

Applicant must be honest, reliable and willing to work. Passing of tools and materials to workers on all jobs. Cleaning and putting up tools at the end of each work day. Salary: $9.00 Hourly

CONTACT: 649-346-0204

IS URGENTLY LOOKING FOR A FLORIST

Applicant must have experience as a Floral Assistant or Florist. Must have extensive knowledge of tropical flowers, foliage and potted plants, including their names, seasonal availability and lifespan. Candidates must have experience using current styles in floral design while at the same time understanding the traditional use of certain flowers for weddings, funerals etc. salary commensurate with experience.

CONTACT: 231-3788

Installs pipes and fixtures, such as sinks and toilets, for water, gas, steam, air, or other liquids. Installs supports for pipes, equipment, etc. Salary: $10 hourly

CONTACT: 343-2245

FULL TIME FAMILY MEDICINE SPECIALIST

QUALITIES

• Graduate from an accredited school of medicine, as an M.D., M.B.B.S. or the equivalent.

• Specialist in Family Medicine (completion of an accredited residency).

• Candidate must have no less than 10 years post graduate experience as a licensed physician.

• Candidate must be fluent in English, with knowledge of a 2nd language being an advantage (SPANISH/ CREOLE).

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide high quality primary patient care for outpatients.

• Refer patients for specialty care and hospitalization as clinically indicated.

• Maintains effective communication and positive relationships with staff, referral physicians and other members of the medical community in the TCI.

• Assist in business development for practice.

Salary: $8,000 monthly

DOMESTIC WORKER

Cleaning the house, laundering sheets, towels and personal clothing and other housework.

Salary: $8.00

CONTACT: 241-5795

DOMESTIC WORKER

LABOURER

CONTACT: 241-7198

Cleaning

CONTACT: 348-3581 OR 243-1051

LABOURER

Cleaning outside the property With sweeper, pick up yard waste And collecting leaves, dispose of Trash, clean windows and door frames

Salary: $8.50/hr

TO APPLY TO THE LABOUR BOARD

DANESI

BABYSITTER

EXECUTIVE SECRETARY

LABOURER

LABOURER

Cleaning outside the property with sweeper, pick up yard waste and collect leaves, dispose of trash, clean windows, and door frames.

Salary: $8.00 Hourly

LongBay, Leeward Highway, Providenciales Is seeking to employ a

To work as subcontractors for builders, such as (painting, tile, carpentry ect..

To ensure measurements and cuts are accurate, may also perform repair work and install hardware. Basic Salary:$8.00

Robinson Street, Five Cays, Providenciales Is seeking to employ a

To assist in all basic cleaning, mopping, sweeping, and dusting. Laundering Clothes and preparing meals. Basic Salary: $8.00 hourly

BELONGERS CAN APPLY!

MYRANIE ST JUSTE 36297

DURELL LANDY

CONTACT: 241-9907

BELONGERS ARE

36245

Braiding clients’ hair in different styles.

Must be willing to work 6 days a week.

Salary: $8.00 hourly

CONTACT: 345-7087

BELONGERS ARE TO APPLY TO THE LABOUR BOARD WORK PERMIT RENEWAL

DRYWALL FINISHER

Responsible for installing wallboards to ceilings or to interior walls of buildings and applying plaster.

Salary: $8.00 Hourly

CONTACT: 345-9859

BELONGERS ARE TO APPLY TO THE

Mix and create drinks, maintain an accurate inventory and the ability to work with little or no supervision.

CONTACT: (649) 247-9909

EMAIL:INFO@HOGROAD.COM

BELONGERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY

(1)LABOURER

Duties: Cleaning outside the property with a sweeper, picking up yard waste and collecting leaves, disposing of trash, cleaning windows, and door frames.

Salary: $8 per hourly

CONTACT: (649) 341-1299

BELONGERS ARE ENCOURAGED.

DOMESTIC WORKER

Prep and prepare all meals at a timely manner and the ability to work with little or no supervision Salary:

CONTACT: (649) 247-9909

EMAIL:INFO@HOGROAD.COM

Salary: $10.00 hourly

UPHOLSTERER

Examine furniture frames, upholstery, springs and webbing to repair furniture and frames. $8.00 hourly

CONTACT: 346-8381

BELONGERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY TO THE LABOUR BOARD RENEWAL

LABOURER

Cleaning outside the property with sweeper, pick up yard waste and collect leaves, dispose of trash, clean windows, and door frames.

Salary: $8.00 hourly

CONTACT: 232-6413

BELONGERS ARE

2 TAILORS

Salary:

SALOMON MORENCY

Stocking and supplying designated facility areas, dusting, sweeping, vacuuming, mopping, restroom cleaning etc.

Salary: $8.00 Hourly

CONTACT: 649-346-4624

BELONGERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY TO THE LABOUR

RECEIVING CLERK

CONTACT: (649) 345-1036

DOMESTIC WORKER

Sweeping, mopping, clean bathrooms, toilets, kitchen, living room, laundering sheets, towels, personal clothing, and other housework.

CONTACT: 342-4843

DOMESTIC WORKER

Sweeping the house, mopping the floor, clean bathrooms, toilets, kitchen, living room, laundering sheets, towels and personal clothing and other housework. Salary: $8.00 Hourly

CONTACT: 346-3796

DOMESTIC WORKER

Sweeping the house, mopping the floor, clean bathrooms, toilets, kitchen, living room, laundering sheets, towels and personal clothing and other housework.

$8.00 Hourly

CONTACT: 345-5236

CONTACT:

DOMESTIC WORKER

Ensuring a safe environment, preparing and giving meals, bathing and dressing children, administering medicine, doing housework, and etc.

$8.00 Hourly

DOMESTIC WORKER

TRACTOR OPERATOR

CONTACT: 242-2419

CONTACT: (649)241-2893

LABOURER

CONTACT: 241-1156

TWO DOMESTIC WORKER

Duties: Cleaning outside the property with a pickingsweeper, up yard waste and collecting leaves, disposing of trash, cleaning windows, and door frames.

Salary: $8 per hourly

(649) 244-1954

BELONGERS ARE ENCOURAGED.

DOMESTIC WORKER

and supplying designated facility areas, dusting, sweeping, vacuuming, mopping, restroom cleaning etc.

CONTACT: 348-1832

BELONGERS ONLY APPLY.

STORE CLERK

Receive, price and display Stock Must be able to move 40lbs boxes

Salary: $8.00 an hour

Both position will be required to work nights, long hours, weekends and holidays. Ability to speak English, French, Spanish is preferred and other languages will be an advantage.

INTERESTED PERSON SHOULD FORWARD A LETTER OF APPLICATION AND RESUMES TO MURAD97@HOTMAIL.COM OR CALL 649-431-1689

JAMES HAMILTON ARCHITECTS

ARCHITECTURAL TECHNOLOGIST

• RIBA part 1 exemption.

• 3+ years’

• Diploma in Architectural Technology and/or Architectural Technician.

• 3+ years’ experience creating construction documentation.

• 1 year+ experience using Autodesk Dynamo.

• 1 year+ experience in Lumion.

• Second language (Spanish or French)

• 4+ years using the Adobe suite.

• 1-2 years Sketchup experience.

• Ability to travel to the USA/Caribbean and South America.

Salary: $45,000.00 USD per annum Monday-Friday 9:00 am to 5:30 pm

CONTACT: 649-232-3083 EMAIL: STUDIO@JAMESHAMILTONARCHITECTS.COM

•

•

•

•

OUTER REACH ADVENTURES

• 20+ years expertise with a minimum of 14yrs in high-end, exclusive restaurants/villas

• Thorough knowledge of worldwide cuisines and techniques.

• Proficiency in specialty diets essential.

• Candidates must have ordering, control, cost awareness and program

•

• Proficient in both Windows and Apple based programs

•

• Prepares medications

•

• Must have minimum 5 years’ experience working in a Retail Pharmacy environment

• Skilled at interacting with customers of all socioeconomic backgrounds

• Ability to operate Point-of-Sale and Kroll programs

• Possesses excellent communications and interpersonal skills

• Competent and reliable professional, committed and experienced

SALARY: 50K PER ANNUM

CONTACT: 441-3791

Ensuring a safe environment, preparing and giving meals, bathing and dressing children, administering medicine, doing housework, and disciplining children when necessary.

CONTACT: 649-348-7631

DOMESTIC WORKER

CONTACT: 345-0734

341-1629

Sweeping the house, mopping the floor, clean bathrooms, toilets, kitchen, living room, laundering sheets, towels and personal clothing and other

Greets customers, receive payment, Issue receipts, and change due to customers. Count money in cash drawers to ensure that amounts are correct and that there is adequate change. Salary: $8.00 Hourly

CONTACT: 941-4202

Stocking and supplying designated facility areas, dusting, sweeping, vacuuming, mopping, restroom cleaning etc.

Salary: $8.00 Hourly

CONTACT: 941-4202

BELONGERS ONLY APPLY. RENEWAL

CHARLIE DEPOT 36322

Cleaning outside the property with sweeper, pick up yard waste and collect leaves, dispose of trash, clean windows, and doorframes. Salary: $10.00 hourly

Greets customers, receive payment, Issue receipts, and change due to customers. Count money in cash drawers to ensure that amounts are correct and that there is change.adequate

BELONGERS ONLY APPLY. RENEWAL

CHARLIE DEPOT 36323

Ensuring a safe environment, preparing and giving meals, bathing and dressing children, administering medicine, doing housework, and disciplining children when necessary. Salary: $8.00

CONTACT: 649-242-8086

materials on floors, walls, ceilings, countertops. Level the surface with a layer of mortar or plywood.

Salary: $8.00 Hourly

Stocking and supplying designated facility areas, dusting, sweeping, vacuuming, mopping, restroom cleaning etc.

Salary: $8.00

CONTACT: 345-5615

MAINTENANCE WORKER

Mixes mortar; lays bricks and stones and/ or concrete sidewalks; makes and repairs steps and plasters. Salary: $12.00 Hourly

CONTACT: 649-232-9432

Fix and maintain mechanical equipment, buildings, and machines. Plumbing work, painting, flooring repair and upkeep, electrical repairs, etc.

Salary: $7.00 Hourly

CONTACT: 232-7124

BELONGERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY

KITCHEN HELPER

Keeping the kitchen area clean and tidy at all times. $8.00 Hourly

DISHWASHER

Washes dishes and keeps kitchen area clean. $8.00 Hourly

CONTACT:

ASSISTANT PASTOR

CONTACT: 241-1651

CONTACT: 345-7876

CONTACT: 246-3044

PAINTER

sketches, and/ or prints creative ideas for a variety of mediums.

CONTACT: 347-3451

Ensuring a safe environment, preparing and giving meals, bathing and dressing children, administering medicine, doing housework, and disciplining children when necessary.

To work 6 days a week.

Salary: $8.00 hourly

CONTACT: 244-0843

BELONGERS ARE ENCOURAGED

Take orders and deliver drinks.

Salary: $8.00 Hourly

CONTACT: 341-1629

DOMESTIC WORKER

TRUCK OPERATOR

•

•

•

CONTACT: 649-244-2995

Soil cultivation, digging, and forking, mulching, watering, raking, weeding, edging, pruning, seed sowing, bed preparation and planting.

Salary: $8.00 hourly

CONTACT: 649-244-8372

Ensuring a safe environment, preparing and giving meals, bathing and dressing children, administering medicine, doing housework, and disciplining children when necessary.

Salary: $8.00 hourly

CONTACT: 649-345-4243

Ensuring a safe environment, preparing and giving meals, bathing and dressing children, administering medicine, doing housework, and disciplining children when necessary.

THE SOURCE LTD

203W Venture House, Grace Bay, Providenciales

A Maintenance/Handyman and a Helper/ Laborer/Cleaner are needed to work along with our maintenance team.

Duties include but are not limited to: -

MAINTENANCE/HANDYMAN

• Cleaning the outside of the villa and property as required

• Collect and dispose of garbage and debris including removing leaves

• Assist with carrying watersports equipment to and from the beach

• Set up/disassemble equipment as necessary

• Assist with trim carpentry and perform basic maintenance

• Must be able to fill in gaps on walls

• Floor repairs and upkeep

• Must be willing to take instructions and work along with the team

HELPER/CLEANER/LABORER:

• Cleaning the outside of the villa and property as required

• Collecting and disposing of garbage & debris including removing leaves

• Set up/disassemble equipment i.e. scaffolds

• Must be able to do basic maintenance

• Must be able to lift at least 50lbs

• Must be willing to take instructions and work along with the team

• Must have a clean police record

Unit 210 A Regent Village

Providenciales

Turks and Caicos Islands

STORMSAFE ROOFING LTD

is seeking a

SENIOR QUANTITY SURVEYOR

The successful candidate will be responsible for the management of all quantity surveying aspects of the project and ensure the effective delivery and reporting of all the financial requirements.

AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY:

• Supporting Project Manager and operational teams by offering sound commercial advice on projects

• Review, interpret, negotiate, execute and implement contracts

• Preparation of Bills of Quantities

• Preparation of tenders with assistance from the Project Manager

• Commercial analysis, cost reports, reconciliation and reporting on a monthly basis

• Subcontract Procurement

KEY SKILLS AND REQUIREMENTS:

• Hold a degree in Quantity Surveying

• Have at least 8-10 years’ work experiences with a main contractor or property developer.

• Have excellent communication skills

• Be driven and self-motivated

• Relevant Quantity Surveying experience

• Experience with working within the Caribbean, ideally on Medium to High end villa projects or condo developments

• Proficient with International Forms of Contract – especially AIA

• Experience in producing internal and external reports

• Experience in preparation of Bills of Quantities and tenders for high end Villas and Condo Resorts

• Being able to produce weekly and monthly cost reports

• Preparation of subcontract contracts and payments

PREFERRED:

• RICS qualified

Salary $80,000.00 per annum

MAY 26TH, 2023. ALL RESUMES ARE SUBJECT TO SCREENING. RESUMES CAN ALSO BE SUBMITTED TO THE LABOR DEPARTMENT

• Must have a clean police record

COMPENSATION FOR EITHER POSITION IS STARTING AT $8.00 PER HOUR THESE ADVERTS ARE FOR WORK PERMIT RENEWAL. PLEASE ADDRESS ALL RESUME’S TO HR@THESOURCE.TC.

PRESS RELEASE

FROM THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE, INVESTMENT AND TRADE

2023-24 BUSINESS LICENCE RENEWAL

Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, May 10, 2023 - This notice serves to advise the business community that an extension has been granted for the 2023/2024 Business Licence Renewal period to June 30th 2023 without penalty

To assist with expediting the renewal process, kindly take note of the following:

• Registered companies are required to submit a copy of their register of members/shareholders and demonstration of good standing with the Financial Services Commission (FSC) with their application for renewal;

• Sole traders and partnerships must present a valid Business Name Registration Certificate from the FSC along with their application for renewal;

• Establishments requiring annual inspections from the Environmental Health Department and/or an Accommodation License are reminded to seek inspection ahead of the renewal deadline. Applications will not be accepted until all relevant information is received. The IRD reserves the right to request further documentation and conduct inspections;

1. Penalties on Business License renewals will commence July 1st 2023 and increase at a rate of 10% monthly; and

2. Application and payment for renewals MUST be made on or before June 30th 2023 to avoid penalties.

Licence Holders are encouraged to utilize our new E-Services platform to renew their business licence. The E-Services platform can be accessed via the following website: https://busreg.gov.tc/ busreg/ or through the IRD’s website: http://www.gov.tc/revenue.

DOMESTIC

Cleaning the house, laundering sheets, towels, personal clothing, and other housework. $8.00 Hourly

LABOURER

Cleaning property, pick up yard waste and collect leaves, dispose of trash, clean windows, and doorframes. $8.00 Hourly

CONTACT: 246-2661

BELONGERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY TO THE LABOUR BOARD

36415

LABOURER

Cleaning outside the property with sweeper, pick up yard waste and collect leaves, dispose of trash, clean windows, and door frames.

Salary: $8.00 Hourly

CONTACT: 344-3710

BELONGERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY TO THE LABOUR BOARD

RECEIVING CLERK

Must be proficient in logistics, keep records and help with inventory control, assist with sales in store.

Salary: $8.00 Hourly

KUBERA LIMITED

JEWELER - $14.00 per hour

Must have excellent knowledge and skill for jewelry and gemstones. Must be able to repair clasps and links on Gold and Silver Jewelry. Must be able to identify precious and semi-precious gems and metals

LABOURER - $8.00 per hour

Cleaning outside the property with sweeper, pick up yard waste and collect leaves, dispose of trash, clean windows, and doorframes. Assist in offloading containers and delivering goods.

STORE CLERK - $10.00 per hour

LEGALLY QUALIFIED ASSISTANT (PARALEGAL)

GRIFFITHS & PARTNERS IS LOOKING FOR A LEGALLY QUALIFIED ASSISTANT.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

BELONGERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY TO THE LABOUR BOARD RENEWAL

CONTACT: 342-9955/342-4472 36413

VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY!!

Must be able to provide assistance to customers and handle various duties such as operating the cash register, greeting customers, helping people locate products, doing paper work, stocking shelves, and maintaining the store clean and organized.

DOMESTIC WORKER - $8.00 per hour

Cleaning shop, windows, bathrooms and providing regular housekeeping, sweeping, mopping, laundry and cleaning dishes.

These positions are currently held by work permit holders

BELONGERS CAN DROP OFF RESUME TO THE STORE PROVIDENCIALES: CENTRAL SQUARE AND THE REGENT VILLAGE GRAND TURK: GOLDSMITH BUILDING FRONT STREET TEL: 649 946 4100/332-4100. EMAIL: GOLDSMITHTCI@GMAIL.COM

BELONGERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO SUBMIT A COPY OF THEIR RESUME TO THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT

EASYWAY EMPLOYEMENT SERVICS

A& J SECURITY SERVICE

343-6068

Five Cays # 402

MASON

$12.50

• Assisting attorneys in legal research in a variety of work including judicial review, commercial litigation, corporate real estate and trust.

• Assisting in the drafting of pleadings, statements, skeleton arguments, and other documents for Court cases.

• Obtaining, compiling and analyzing records for discovery including incoming discovery documents.

• Pre-trial preparation and other trial management assistance.

JOB QUALIFICATIONS:

• Candidates must hold a law degree or post-graduate legal qualification from a leading University, including qualifications in commercial and company law.

• Candidates should have computer proficiency with office software including MS Office.

JOB EXPERIENCE:

• Previous experience as a Paralegal would be helpful.

• Experience of the operation, practices and procedures of a law office engaged in civil and commercial litigation, corporate, real estate and financial services work.

• Experience of court and tribunal filing procedures.

• Demonstrated ability to manage a large workload including completing multiple tasks to deadlines.

• Must be proactive and able to work both independently and with a professional team.

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT:

Griffiths & Partners offer competitive remuneration for this role. We will also offer training, mentoring and support to help professional development, and a friendly and collegiate work environment. Salary range $4,000.00 to $5,000.00 per calendar month depending on experience.

Closing date for application is 14 June 2023.

GRIFFITHS & PARTNERS

P.O. BOX 143, PROVIDENCIALES, TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS

EMAIL: RECRUITMENT@GRIFFITHSANDPARTNERS.COM

FAX: 649-941-8251

SECURITY OFFICER

8.00 hourly

Securing businesses and properties

R & L CONSTRUCTION

333-1236

June Hills, Blue Hills

MAINTENANCE MAN

$8.00 hourly

Attending to my home and rental property need such as paint, cleaning and assisting with ongoing construction and keeping the property clean at all times.

PORT ATLANTIC CONSTRUCTION

346-6622

South inn, Five Cays

MASON

$14.00 hourly

Laying blocks, building foundation, plastering and finish work

ROLDSON LACOSSADE

342-2707

LIVE IN NANNY

$8.00 hourly cleaning the house, washing dishes, clothes, linen and caring for my children and home

DONNY NAVIL

348-6847

Five Cays

LABOURER

$8.00 hourly Pick up waste, clean and maintain the cleanness of the premises.

BJ BROTHERS CONTRACTING

332-6740

Laying blocks, building foundation, plastering and finish work

J & J DAY CARE

347-2433

Leeward highway

BABYSITTER

$8.00 hourly

Caring for children within the day care, feed, bath and dress them and monitor them.

MEP SERVICES

941-4750

June Hills Blue Hills

2 LABOURER

$8.00 hourly

up equipment, run lines for power tools, erect scaffolding, layout tools, pouring of concrete foundation.

Tradesman $ 10.00 hourly

Laying tile, blocks and carpenter, steel and plumber works.

WELLINGTON WALKING

244-7134

Wheeland

LABOURER

$8.00 hourly

Attending to my home and rental property need such as paint, cleaning and assisting with ongoing construction and keeping the property clean at all times.

MARLIE BRAS

243-4216

Church Ave, Blue Hills

HELPER

$8.00

Pick up waste, keep property clean assist with ongoing construction on the property Best regard

Clara Lightbourne

(649) 333-1236

LORANZO FRANCIS

Ensuring a safe environment, preparing and giving meals, bathing and dressing children, administering medicine, doing housework, and disciplining children when necessary.

DOMESTIC WORKER

CONTACT: (649) 231-0098

CONTACT: 946-8877

LABOURER

Cleaning outside the property with sweeper, pick up yard waste and collect leaves, dispose of trash, clean windows, and doorframes.

Salary: $8 Hourly

CONTACT: 242-1307

DWAYNE TAYLOR

CARPENTER

Follow blueprints and building plans. Install structures and fixtures. Measure, cut, or shape wood, plastic, and other materials.

Salary: $8.00 hourly

CONTACT: (649) 245-6270

BELONGERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY TO THE LABOUR BOARD

LABOURER

Cleaning outside the property with sweeper, pick up yard waste and collect leaves, dispose of trash, clean windows, and door frames. Salary: $8.00 Hourly

CONTACT: 347-6615

Cleaning up around the yard, removing all trash and debris, and any other duties as may be necessary.

Salary: $8.00 per hour weekly

CONTACT: (649) 247-7599

Skilled in Laying blocks, bricks, stones and concrete.

Basic salary: $8.00 hourly

CONTACT: 649-346-4030

COOK

To prepare, season and cook meats and vegetables using skill in frying, grilling and sautéing

Salary: $8.00 per hour

CONTACT: (649) 347-5225

BELONGERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY TO THE LABOUR BOARD RENEWAL

LABOURER

Follow blueprints and building plans. Install structures and fixtures. Measure, cut, or shape wood, plastic, and other materials. $10.00 Hourly

Cleaning the house, laundering sheets, towels and personal clothing and other housework. $8.00 Hourly

CONTACT: 649-347-1894

BELONGERS ONLY APPLY RENEWALS

Cleaning outside the property with sweeper, pick up yard waste and collect leaves, dispose of trash, clean windows, and door frames.

CONTACT: 245-2114

BELONGERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO SEND A COPY OF THEIR RESUME TO THE LABOUR BOARD.

Cleaning outside the property with sweeper, pick up yard waste and collect leaves, dispose of trash, clean windows, and door frames.

Salary: $8.00 Hourly

36348

Performing a variety of cleaning activities such as sweeping, mopping, dusting and polishing. Ensuring all rooms inspected according to standards. Salary: $8.00 Hourly

CONTACT: 331-5227/347-5225

CONTACT: 241-4286

CONTACT: 343-2852

Providenciales Is seeking to employ a

10 years heavy equipment experience Clean Police Record Valid Driver’s License COMPENSATION Based on Experience, approximately $15-$18 Per Hour POSITION TYPE Full-Time PLEASE SUBMIT APPLICATIONS TO MAIN OFFICE AT PROVO STEVEDORING LIMITED, SOUTH DOCK PORT PROVIDENCIALES TCI. TEL: 1(649) 941-8975 OR EMAIL: ACCOUNTS@PROVOSTEVEDORING.COM

SANTIAGUERO BARBER SHOP

Airport Road. Is seeking to employ a

BARBER - $8.00 HOURLY

Cutting, trimming, shampooing, and styling hair, trimming beards, or giving shaves.

NAIL TECHNICIAN - $8.00 HOURLY

Basic manicures, artificial nails, gel nails, hand massages, nail fills, nail repair, and nail polishing.

HAIRDRESSER - $8.00 HOURLY

Shampooing, cutting, and styling hair, provide hair treatments, deep conditioning, permanents, coloring, and weaving.

CONTACT: 333-1505

Belongers are encouraged to apply to the Labour Board 36173

QUEEN OF WORLD LTD.

Unit F103 Regent Street, Grace Bay, Providenciales

BEAUTICIAN/COSMETOLOGIST

– $8.00 hourly

• Reception and Mall Attendance.

• Phone service and appointments.

• Hair styling and treatments.

• Skincare therapist, fat masseur, waxing, plasma application, mesoterapy botox, feet massage, skin laser therapy, Aesthetics RIF/PRP/FACIAS and make-up.

CONTACT: 946-5999 OR 242-2015

EMAIL: INFO@QUEENOFWORLD.COM

Belongers are encouraged to send a copy of their resume to the Labour Board

Work permit holders currently holds these positions 36228

PROVO PERFORMING ARTS SCHOOL

REQUIREMENTS:

• Have experience running the MEP scope of work, for projects more than $100 million.

• Have worked in North America for a minimum of 8 years.

• Have intimate knowledge and experience working to the North America codes for electrical, plumbing and HVAC.

BELONGERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO SEND THEIR RESUME TO LABOUR BOARD. CONTACT: (649) 941-3600 OR EMAIL: PCHAPLIN@NORSTARGROUP.TC

Design and execute performing arts classes. Classes run Monday to Saturday and include Public Holidays. You must have previous experience performing and teaching in all subjects the school provides.

Minimum qualification: Bachelor of Arts in a performing arts subject or a teacher qualification with ISTD/RAD or similar.

Salary: $43,884 per annum.

SUBMIT RESUMES BY MAY 8TH 2023 PROVO PERFORMING ARTS SCHOOL IGA PLAZA, LEEWARD HIGHWAY. T: 649 343-4716 W: PROVOPERFORMINGARTS.COM E: NIKIFLOWERS@GMAIL.COM

THIS ADVERT IS FOR A WORK PERMIT RENEWAL, BUT QUALIFIED BELONGERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY.

BEEN CONSTRUCTION

36197

Belongers are encouraged to send a copy of their resume to the Labour Board 36222

STORE CLERK

Selling products and providing customer service. Greet customers and guide them in finding products they want to buy.

Salary: $8.00 hourly

CONTACT: 243-4350

Belongers are encouraged to send a copy of their resume to the Labour Board Renewal 36237 JEANNE ADAMS Airport Road, Spot Plaza, Providenciales Is seeking

CLEANER

• Cleaning of windows, floors, doors and all other interior work.

•

ROOFER @ $10.00 PER HOUR, MASON @ $10.00 PER HOUR, CARPENTER @ $10.00 PER HOUR, PAINTER @ $10.00 PER HOUR, TILER @ $10, HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATOR @ $12.00 PER HOUR, ELECTRICIAN @ $15.00 PER HOUR, PLUMBER @ $10.00 PER HOUR, CLEANER $6.75 PER HOUR.

$ 8.00

Hourly

TURQUOISE LANDSCAPING

#8 LEEWARD DRIVE, LONG BAY, PROVIDENCIALES

1

• Must have previous gardening experience and be willing to carry out work such as heaving lifting, digging, and weeding, trimming and plant waste removal.

TECHNICIAN

• Must be a team player, fit and capable of standing up, bending, kneeling for up to 8hrs per day in hot outdoor conditions.

• Pay - $8.00 Hourly

CONTACT: 649-332-4280 OR EMAIL: TURQUOISELANDSCAPING@ TCIWAY.TC TO ARRANGE AN INTERVIEW

Belongers are encouraged to send a copy of their resume to the Labour Board. Renewals 36079

Needed 5 days a week. All applicants must have at least 10 years’ experience in the commercial and residential construction industry. Salary negotiable depending on qualification and experience level.

FOR WORK PERMIT RENEWAL. EMAIL RESUME TO GBEEN@TCIWAY.TC. TEL:231-6920. THIS AD IS FOR BOTH A FIRST TIME WORK PERMIT APPLICATION AND ALSO ANY LOCAL/ BELONGER QUALIFIED APPLICANTS AS SEVERAL POSITIONS ARE AVAILABLE.

ISLAND FIRE SUPPLIES LTD.

36193

FIRE ALARM TECHNICIAN

REQUIRES A FULLY QUALIFIED FIRE ALARM TECHNICIAN FOR COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL INSTALLATIONS

• Must have at least 10 years experience in the installation, maintenance and repairs of Fire Alarm Systems, Suppression Systems and Fire Sprinklers.

Saltmills Plaza, Providenciales service.

• Knowledge of Gamewell FCI, Simplex and Fire Lite systems is a must.

• Must have a qualification in Fire Extinguisher maintenance and

• Hourly rate starting at $12.00 and must be willing to work weekends and public holidays.

PLEASE EMAIL RESUME TO IFS@TCIWAY.TC OR CALL 331 0732.

Bark & Bliss Ltd. is seeking a qualified individual for the following position. Only candidates who meet the minimum qualifications and requirements will be considered. All candidates must be willing to work unusual hours including weekends and public holidays. All candidates must be non-smokers. Applicants will be required to have a valid passport, the ability to travel globally, and pass a written skills test.

A work permit holder currently holds this position. Qualified belongers are invited to forward resumes to the Labour Board.

SENIOR VETERINARY TECHNICIAN SALARY:

$60,000 ANNUALLY

RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:

● Assist in diagnosis, treatment and intensive medical care for patients in need

● Assist in the treatment urgent and emergency medical and surgical cases

● Provide nursing care or emergency first aid to injured or recovering animals

● Restrain animals during exams or procedures

● Administer anesthesia to animals, and monitor their responses

● Collect laboratory samples, such as blood, urine, or tissue, for testing

● Perform and interpret laboratory tests, such as urinalysis and blood counts

● Prepare animals and instruments for surgery

● Administer medications, vaccines, and treatments prescribed by a veterinarian

● Collect and record patients’ case histories

● Perform general hygiene procedures such as nail clipping, bathing, etc.

EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS:

● Must have an Associate Degree in Veterinary Technology

● 5+ years of experience in a veterinary clinic environment

● 5+ years of experience in high volume spay & neuter environments

● 5+ years of experience with modern diagnostic equipment and machinery

● Must be fluent (Written & Oral) in English

The General Manager is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the slots parlor and route operation and the overall profitability and sustainability of the same. The GM develops implements and manages strategic goals and monitors achievements of performance and profit objectives and ensures the compliance of all operational departments and the security of all operational departments and the security of all assets, customers and staff.

GM ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Responsible for directing the overall day-to-day operations of the main slots parlor and route operational departments.

• Develops, implements and manages operational goals and monitors achievements of performance and profit objectives.

• Responsible for preparing, monitoring and adhering to budgets and ensuring compliance to departmental budget initiative. Reports budget concerns/deviations to the ownership and other senior management.

• Ensures floor layout stays current with industry product and machine variety/ mix is competitive within the regional market.

• Makes recommendation or implementation and oversight of overall strategies for overall engagement, customer service, comp ability, games layout and mix, revenue growth, and expense management in order to maximize profitability for all areas of responsibility.

• Responsible for ensuring compliance with all regulatory compliance within t heir area of responsibility.

• Responsible for staff development and training programs.

• Responsible for all marketing strategies, development and implementation.

• Responsible for rewards and recognition program to maximize employee engagement.

• Evaluate team members within the department and delivers constructive feedback to employees in regard to performance.

• Determines recommendation for staffing (including interviewing and hiring) and scheduling (planning, assigning and directing work) to meet business needs.

REQUIREMENTS

• Must have at least 5 years experience in a similar role.

• Must have a strong technical knowledge and background involving the instillation, repair and maintenance of slot machines, systems, surveillance and AV equipment.

• Must have a strong knowledge of CMS including player tracking and player development.

• Must have proven knowledge and experience at developing and managing marketing campaigns.

• Must have proven knowledge and experience of developing, implementing and managing projects.

• Ability to read, analyze and interpret data.

• Ability to provide guidance and leadership to senior management.

• Ability to maintain positive working relationships with community organizations. And government personnel.

• Excellent problem solving and negotiation skills and ability to work well under pressure.

• Must show excellent customer service skills and show the ability to communicate efficiently and effectively with customers, subordinate, management and gaming regulatory organizations.

• Must be computer literate in Excel, word and outlook. Salary $5,000.00

WARD’S CONSULTANCY

DOMESTIC WORKER

Salary: $8.00 per hour

CONTACT: 231-1092

SHANIQUE

GARDINER Blue Hills, Tel: 649-232-2160

Regular housekeeping.

Salary: $8.00 p/h

DOMESTIC WORKER BABYSITTER

NATASHA DORVAL Blue Hills

Tel: 242-2557

Supervision the kids.

Salary: $8.00 p/h

DOMESTIC WORKER

PAULA WARD

Blue Hills, 241-3333

Cleaning the house.

Salary: $8.00 p/h

WARRICAN DOUGLAS

Blue Hills, Tel: 232-7431

Supervision the kids, cooking and light housekeeping.

Salary: $8.00 p/h

BELONGERS CAN SEND RESUME TO THE LABOUR BOARD. RENEWAL

OCEAN CLUB RESORTS

Is looking for applicants for the following positions:

GARDENER (CURRENTLY HELD BY PERSON ON WORK PERMIT)

PROPERTY SERVICES ATTENDANT/JANITOR (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.

KITCHEN HELPER

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.

Cleaning

CONTACT: 342-0840

Preparing the workstation. Keeping the kitchen clean.

$8.50 Hourly DISHWASHER Washing dishes. $8.50 Hourly

LABOURER Cleaning. $8.50 Hourly

COOK

Setting up workstations with all needed ingredients and cooking equipment. Cooking food in various utensils or grillers.

$8.50 Hourly

WAITRESS

Take orders and serve food and beverages to patrons at tables in dining establishment. $8.50 Hourly

BEACH ATTENDANT

Set up beach chairs and umbrellas for cruise ship passengers, to offer and sell drinks to customers. $8.50 Hourly

BAKER

Measure and mix raw ingredients, bake and decorate items, and ensure that all raw and finished goods adhere to quality and food safety standards. $8.50 Hourly

CONTACT: 946-5921 BELONGERS ONLY APPLY / RENEWALS

Cleaning property with sweeper, pick up yard waste and collect leaves, dispose of trash, clean windows, and doorframes.

Salary: $8.00 Hourly

Set up equipment, run lines for power tools, erect scaffolding, lay out tools, set up forms for the pouring of concrete foundations, clean worksite, and take down bracing and scaffolding. Salary: $8.00 hourly

CONTACT: 231-0337

BELONGERS ONLY APPLY/RENEWAL

MAINTENANCE MAN

Fix and maintain mechanical equipment, buildings, and machines. Plumbing work, painting, flooring repair and upkeep, electrical repairs, etc.

$9.00 Hourly

CONTACT: 342-4436

BELONGERS ONLY APPLY/RENEWAL

Cleaning outside the property with sweeper, pick up yard waste and collect leaves, dispose of trash, clean windows, and door frames.

Salary: $8.00 Hourly

Help the patient get dressed, eat, bathe and complete light housekeeping duties, such as dishes or folding laundry. Plan, prepare and monitor meals. Run errands, remind patients of medications.

Salary:

CONTACT: 343-0358

BELONGERS ONLY APPLY/RENEWAL

Acting on behalf of DANNY BUOY’S / SKULL ROCK / CABANA BAR #353 GRACE BAY ROAD, PROVIDENCIALES

The Successful applicant must have good knowledge of all housekeeping work including cooking as well as child care.

TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS AIR TRANSPORT LICENSING AUTHORITY

c/o The Turks & Caicos Islands Civil Aviation Authority

P.O. Box 1120 • Providenciales • Turks & Caicos Islands

FORM 2 –PUBLICATION BY AIR TRANSPORT LICENSING AUTHORITY OF PARTICULARS OF APPLICATION TO OPERATE COMMERCIAL AIR SERVICES

In accordance with the provisions of regulation 9 of the Air Transport (Licensing of Air Services) Regulations, 2018, the Air Transport Licensing Authority hereby publish the prescribed particulars of the under mentioned application to operate a Scheduled Air Service in, to and from the Colony.

Any representations regarding this application or objections thereto, must be made in duplicate to the Air Transport Licensing Authority on or before the and any notice requiring the holding of ari enquiry in public for the purpose of determining the application must be received on or before the

Particulars of application to operate scheduled air service

1. Applicant Ambergris Cay Aviation LTD

2. Route applied for Turks and Caicos Islands

3. Purposes of services (passenger, freight, mails) Passenger, freight and mails

4. Points of departure, final destination, and intermediate points of call: Caribbean Region, USA and Turks and Caicos Islands

5. Date on which the service is to commence: When permit is granted

6. Period for which the license if applied for 5 years

7. Frequency of flights

8. Provisional timetable: As per the demand

9. Type of aircraft: Cessna 208 (12 seats), Piper Navajo (8 seats)

Date: 10/05/23

FORTTI 2-A –PUBLICATION BY AIR TRANSPORT LICENSING AUTHORITY OF GARTÎSULARS OF APPLICATION TO OPERATE COMMERCIAL AIR SERVICES

In accordance with the provisions of regulation 9 of the Air Transport (Licensing of Air Services) Regulations, 2018, the Air Transport Licensing Authority hereby publish the prescribed particulars of the under mentioned application to operate a Non-Scheduled Air Service in, to and from the Colony.

Any representations regarding this application or objections thereto, must be made in duplicate to the Air Transport Licensing Authority on or before the and any notice requiring the holding of an enquiry in public for the purpose of detemining the application must be received on or before the

Particulars of application to operate scheduled air service

1. Applicant Amberqris CaY Aviation LTD

2. Route applied for Turks and Caicos Islands

3. Purposes of services (passenger, freight, mails)

Passenger, freight, mails

4. Points of departure, final destination, and intemediate points of call: Caribbean Region, USA and Turks and Caicos Islands

5. Date on which the service is to commence: When permit is granted

6. Period for which the license if applied for 5 years

7. Frequency of flights

8. Provisional timetable: As per the demand

9. Type of aircraft: Cessna 208 (12 seak), Piper Navajo (8 seats)

Date: 10/05/23

Signed ..........................................................

Secretary

Air Transport Licensing Authority

Signed ..........................................................

Secretary Air Transport Licensing Authority

Windsong Resort, located on Stubbs Road, Grace Bay would like to fill the below positions:

LOSS PRESENTATION OFFICER

GENERAL JOB DUTIES BUT NOT LIMITED TO:

Patrol all areas of the property; assist guests as needed. Monitor all security systems, and fire life system. Lock property when required. Conduct daily physical hazard inspections. Respond to accidents, contact EMS or administer first aid/CPR as required. Assist guest/employees during emergency situations. Report to scenes of vehicle accidents/thefts. Notify appropriate individuals in the event of accidents, attacks, or other incidents.

Defuse guest/employee disturbances and escort any unwelcome persons from the property without interrupting the orderly flow of property operation. Maintain confidentiality of all Security/Loss Prevention and property reports/ documents. Release information only to authorized individuals. Conduct investigations and gather evidence.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE/EXPERIENCE /SKILLS/ JOB

QUALIFICATIONS:

• 5 years of Security experience

• Excellent communication

• Flexible to work any shift especially nights.

• Possess reliable transportation.

• Professionally well-groomed with a clean Police Record is a must.

SALARY

• Salary - commensurate with experience between $10 to $10.50 per hour

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Email resume and cover letter to hr@windsongresort.com or drop off resumes at Windsong Resort, Stubbs Road, Grace Bay, Providenciales

*Prospective applicants who are Belongers are asked to send copies of their applications to the Labor Board.

Sweeping, mopping, clean bathrooms, toilets, kitchen, living room, laundering sheets, towels, personal clothing, and other housework.

$8.00 Hourly

CONTACT: 244-5274

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.

JAVIER CASTILLO

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

Reports to: President/CEO

Location: Providenciales (transferable)

PERSON EXPECTATION

The Turks and Caicos Islands Community College is seeking an experienced Executive Vice President to provide leadership and strategic direction for the College’s overall academic and administrative operations. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of success in higher education leadership, a deep understanding of diversity and inclusion, student success, governance, quality and standards, and accreditation.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Leadership and Management

a. Provide strategic direction for the institution’s academic and administrative operations.

b. Collaborate with the President and other senior leaders to develop and implement the institution’s strategic plan.

c. Manage the institution’s budget and resources, ensuring efficient and effective use of resources.

d. Oversee the recruitment and leadership of a diverse team of academic and administrative staff.

e. Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and excellence across the College.

2. Diversity and Inclusion

a. Develop and implement strategies to ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion are at the forefront of the institution’s policies and practices.

b. Provide leadership and support to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students, faculty, and staff.

c. Promote diversity and inclusion through curriculum development, faculty hiring, and student recruitment.

3. Student Success

a. Develop and implement strategies to enhance student success, retention, and graduation rates.

b. Collaborate with academic departments and other stakeholders to improve academic and training programmes, advising, and support services.

c. Ensure that the institution’s policies and practices are aligned with best practices for

student success.

4. Governance

a. Work with the President, and other stakeholders to develop and implement policies and procedures that ensure effective governance of the College.

b. Ensure compliance with all relevant local and regional regulations, as well as accreditation standards.

c. Serve as a liaison between the College and external stakeholders, including government agencies, professional organisations, and community partners.

5. Quality and Standards

a. Oversee the development and implementation of academic standards and policies that ensure the quality of the institution’s programmes and services.

b. Ensure that the institution’s accreditation standards are established, met and maintained.

c. Develop and implement assessment strategies to monitor and improve the quality of academic and training programmes. Performs other duties as assigned to support the College’s mission.

QUALIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Master’s Degree (minimum); a Terminal/ Doctoral Degree preferred.

• At least 8 years of related experience (or an equivalent combination of education and experience).

• Certification in change management (eg. CCMP, CMS, AIM, CPCM, Prosci, or similar) will strengthen application prospects, but is not conclusive.

• Strong leadership, problem-solving, and project finance skills;

• Excellent public speaking, written and oral communication skills;

• Familiarity with the development and implementation of strategic plans, financial and narrative reporting/documentation mechanisms, research methodologies, project proposals, contracts, monitoring, and evaluation tools.

• Demonstrated experience with institutional and/ or academic programme accreditation.

COMPETENCIES

• Demonstrated professional development,

management, and delivery of institutional wide change management programmes.

• Demonstrated understanding of complex change management systems within higher education and a strong awareness of global needs and opportunities for pioneering new styles of higher education deliverables and methodologies.

• Demonstrated results-driven and outcomes focus.

• Demonstrated strengths in strategic thinking, public speaking, written communication, and team leadership.

• Demonstrated high-level commercial awareness and negotiation skills.

• Demonstrated commitment to communicating, sharing knowledge, and developing team members.

• Demonstrated innovation and change-oriented.

• Significant achievement in the administration of research libraries, including strong and inspiring leadership.

• Strong ability to articulate vision and to provide strategic direction for higher education institutions in the rapidly changing global environment.

SALARY AND ALLOWANCES

USD67,775.00 per annum plus allowances

• A 10% gratuity awarded at end of a successful contract

THE APPLICATION PROCESS:

Resumes with current contact information must be accompanied by:

(i) a Cover Letter

(ii) Police Record

(iii) two (2) reference letters (one from a former employer)

(iv) copies of educational certificates, and

(v) a copy of the applicant’s passport photo page

Incomplete applications will not be processed.

The Turks and Caicos Islands Community College is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the workplace. Diversity is ingrained in who we are and how we do business. We, therefore, welcome applicants regardless of ethnicity, gender, ability/disability, religion, and sexuality.

APPLICATIONS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Friday, May 26, 2023

AS THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE CONTINUES TO IMPLEMENT THE REVISED ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, THE FOLLOWING VACANCY IS NOW AVAILABLE.

TROPICAL DESTINATION MANAGEMENT (TROPICAL DMC)

GRACE BAY. IS IN NEED OF A

HANDYMAN

1) Carrying of all supplies to and from event locations

2) Setting up beach arches, canopy’s, and all structures

3) Stringing lights on the beach and at wedding restaurant locations.

4) Washing of company vehicles.

5) Set up and tear down at all events in which Tropical DMC has provided the services for. Raking the beach, carrying equipment, digging holes for beach arches, climbing ladders, hanging lighting, carrying large boxes etc. You will need to be in physical shape to do this part of the job as it is extremely labor intensive.

6) Cleaning of storage units once per week.

7) Assisting with cabling for all electronic work we do with sound systems and speakers.

The pay rate for this position is $10.00 per hour and is approximately 20 hours per week.

This position is for work permit renewal

TERESA BRUNNER

Turtle Cove, Providenciales tbrunner@tropicaldmc.com OR CALL 649-231-4161

Belongers are encouraged to submit a copy of their resume to the email above as well as to the Labor Department 36269

DRYWALL FINISHER

work

CONTACT: 243-6804

Basic manicures, artificial nails, gel nails, hand massages, nail fills, nail repair, and nail polishing.

Salary: $8.00 hourly

CONTACT: 241-5564

Momentous Ltd. is seeking a qualified individual for the following position. Only candidates who meet the minimum qualifications and requirements will be considered. All candidates must be willing to work unusual hours including weekends and public holidays. All candidates must be non-smokers, must have a valid passport, and be able to travel globally. Applicants will be required to pass a written skills and fluency (English) test. This position is currently occupied by a Work Permit holder. Qualified Turks Islander applicants are invited to forward resumes to the Labour Board. Applications can be submitted online at www.momentous.com.

BOOKKEEPING CLERK MOANA CHARTERS LTD.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Recording day to day financial transactions and completing the posting process

• Verifying that transactions are recorded in the correct day book, suppliers ledger, customer ledger and general ledger

• Bringing the books to the trial balance stage

• Record day to day financial transactions and complete the posting process

• Verify that transactions are recorded in the correct day book, suppliers ledger, customer ledger and general ledger

• Bring the books to the trial balance stage

• Perform partial checks of the posting process

• Complete tax forms

• Enter data, maintain records and create reports and financial statements

• Process accounts receivable/payable and handle payroll in a timely manner

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Proven bookkeeping experience

• Solid understanding of basic bookkeeping and accounting payable/ receivable principles

• Hands-on experience with spreadsheets and proprietary software

• Proficiency in English and in MS Office

• Customer service orientation and negotiation skills

• High degree of accuracy and attention to detail

Salary: $24,000.00 per annum

All interested applicants must submit their resume to: jmurray@ karammissick.com and the TCI Employment Service and Labour Department. This position is currently vacant.

RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:

● Overall management of day-to-day business operations

● Maintain current corporate documents and manage all corporate filings

● Manage and negotiate all contracts (i.e. Leases) and policies (i.e. Insurance)

● Liaise with suppliers for general office functions and maintain inventory

● Create and interpret reports (i.e. financial, inventory, clients)

● Provide high-quality administrative and clerical assistance to top-level executives

● Business analytics, reporting, and suggestions; financial and operational

● Website development, dns management, domain and subdomain creation

● Maintain and support all IT, including network and email setups and management, as well as hardware and software installation

● Domain portfolio management

EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS:

● 10+ years of working in an operations role within an office environment

● 10+ years experience with business analytics and reporting

● 10+ years of advanced experience with Adobe Pro and Microsoft Office (Outlook, Excel, Word, Powerpoint, etc.)

● 10+ years reviewing contracts and leases

● 10+ years creating and implementing systems and procedures

● 10+ years creating and maintaining training and policy manuals

● 10+ years of inventory tracking and supply orders

● 10+ years of website development experience, WordPress preferable

● 5+ years experience with marketing, social media, Canva, Photoshop, photo editing, and photography

● 5+ years managing, supervising, and maintaining physical premises

● 5+ years working directly with the owner/s and/or director/s

● 5+ years building relationships with suppliers

● 5+ years of creating and managing budgets and projects

● Domain industry knowledge required, including dns, czds, tlds, ngtlds, etc

● Familiarity and capability to create domains and subdomains with use of FileZilla

VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY!! THE LARGEST READERSHIP IN THE TURKS & CAICOS

GENERAL MANAGER

15+ Years experience in a luxury resort environment.

Seasoned and professional private island resort General Manager with significant luxury and international experience in remote locations. To oversee the operations of a self-sustained 800-acre private island resort. Must be well traveled and have a proven record of repositioning and taking a property to the “next level” and maintaining a 5 STAR level of service. A second language is needed. Must be able to operate a boat. Hands on experience with: Extensive F&B and rooms background, complete understanding of Marine Operations, Maintenance Department Operations, Inventory control, housekeeping comprehension, Accounting Background, water system (irrigation and reverse osmosis). Excellent Hotel operating system skills. Staff management and guest satisfaction. Ability to lead all key property issues including capital projects, property management and renovations. Manage ongoing profitability of the resort ensuring revenue and marketing and sales objectives are met. Previous experience with Relais & Chateaux marketing is a plus. Coordinate day to day operations and meet daily with Heads of Departments. Ability to lead, train and assist staff members to reach personal and professional goals.

The ideal candidates are seasoned, intelligent hotel professionals with outstanding management skills and extensive hands-on experience. These positions require the individual to live on Pine Cay. Salary will reflect on level of experience. 50K Annually

INTERESTED APPLICANTS FOR THE ABOVE POSITIONS SHOULD KINDLY SUBMIT THEIR RESUMES

TAKVANAR LTD IS SEEKING A

FINISH CARPENTER FOR IMMEDIATE EMPLOYMENT

QUALIFICATIONS/EXPERIENCE NEEDED:

Hold a minimum of 4 years’ experience in the field of finish carpentry – including, but not necessarily limited to, internal doors & frames, baseboards, lumber roof finishes and millwork in general. Some experience in rough carpentry (formwork etc.) would be an asset – but not essential.

Have a concise understanding of all finish carpentry materials and be able to fully interpret, read and understand architectural and shop drawings and have a very high level of finishes experience.

Employee must be fluent in written and oral English. Other written and oral languages would be an asset (in particular French and Spanish). Employees will also need to be computer proficient as many drawings and schedules being used on site will be computer/tablet based not in the form of hard paper drawings.

Able to work under own direction and able to manage subordinates. Employee must be willing to work outside of the normal working hours of operation (weekends and public holidays) as may be reasonably necessary to complete any particular task as may be directed by the employer from time to time.

Salary $15 per hour (subject to overtime and public holiday pay where applicable)

Please email résumé and covering letter to 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).

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.

This position is currently held by a work permit holder.

Sports International South Africa pip Ireland to automatic World Cup spot after ODI washout

A washout in the opening oneday international between Ireland and Bangladesh saw South Africa pip Ireland to the final automatic World Cup spot.

Tuesday’s match in Chelmsford was curtailed by rain with Ireland on 63-3 after 16.3 overs in response to 246-9 from Bangladesh. Ireland needed to win this ODI series 3-0 to retain hope of securing World Cup qualification through this route, but will still have one more chance.

Bangladesh have already

qualified.

With two more spots for the World Cup in India later this year yet to be decided, Ireland can still make it through a 10team qualifying tournament in June-July in Zimbabwe.

Other teams involved in the qualifier include two former champions, Sri Lanka and the West Indies.

The first spots in the 10team World Cup go to the top eight finishers of the WCSL, a competition that has run over the last three years.

Cricket Ireland relocated this week’s ODI games from

its own home venues to Essex in the hope of minimising the potential impact of the weather, but saw its worst fears realised by heavy showers. Just 16.3 overs were possible in the second innings, with a minimum of 20 needed to achieve a result on Duckworth Lewis Stern.

Left-armer Josh Little, who jetted back from the Indian Premier League to take part in the series, took 3-61 on his return to Irish colours including opener Litton Das and top-scorer Mushfiqur Rahim.

WEBSITE AND MEDIA CONTENT TECHNICIAN

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

● Formally educated with certification in computer/internet media development or digital marketing

● 4+ years of experience in computer and internet media development

● Strong computer skills and be proficient in Microsoft Office, WordPress, presentation software, and have the ability to learn new systems

● Strong leadership, management, decision making, and team building skills

● Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to speak, read, and write fluently in the english language.

● Have and use your own equipment: computer that is able to render high resolution video, drone, go pro, DSLR camera

● Proficiency in editing with Final Cut Pro is required

● Access to reliable vehicle and have valid drivers license

● Work on weekdays, weekends, evenings, holidays, and on call

● Clean police record

DUTIES:

● Highly motivated, responsible, enthusiastic individual to join our team and expand day to day operations of website and media content in a consultancy firm for construction and real estate

● Responsibilities include capturing and editing video

● Manage, design, and build creative and diverse websites and media content

● Must be imaginative and talented to portray creativity in all content for websites and media

● Effective problem solving skills with computer, technical, and video functions

● Demonstrate excellent customer service with a positive and professional image

● Work with minimum supervision and ability to work in team environment

● Travel to site locations.

This is a first time work permit application. Interested Turks and Caicos Islanders can send their resume to the Labour Department.

Salary Range: $10 hourly

QUIDNI CONSULTING LTD is seeking a

Science & Technology

Covid global health emergency is over, WHO says

THE World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that Covid-19 no longer represents a “global health emergency”.

The statement represents a major step towards ending the pandemic and comes three years after it first declared its highest level of alert over the virus.

Officials said the virus’ death rate had dropped from a peak of more than 100,000 people per week in January 2021 to just over 3,500 on 24 April.

The head of the WHO said at least seven million people died in the pandemic.

‘GREAT HOPE’

But Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the true figure was “likely” closer to 20 million deaths - nearly three times the official estimate - and he warned that the virus remained a

significant threat.

“Yesterday, the Emergency Committee met for the 15th time and recommended to me that I declare an end to the public health emergency of international concern. I’ve accepted that advice. It is therefore with great hope that I declare Covid-19 over as a global health emergency,” Dr Tedros said.

He added that the decision had been considered carefully for some time and made on the basis of careful analysis of data.

But he warned the removal of the highest level of alert did not mean the danger was over and said the emergency status could be reinstated if the situation changed.

“The worst thing any country can do now is to use this news as a reason to let down its guard, to dismantle the systems it has built, or to send the message to its people that Covid-19 is nothing to worry

A huge wave of infections hit countries around

about,” he said.

The World Health Organization first declared Covid-19 to be a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) in January 2020.

This signalled the need for coordinated global action to protect people from the new virus.

It will now be up to individual countries to continue to manage Covid in the way they think best.

Vaccines were one of the major turning points in the pandemic.

the world in 2020

According to the WHO, 13 billion doses have been given, allowing many people to be protected from serious illness and death.

But in many countries vaccines have not reached most of those in need.

More than 765 million confirmed Covid infections have been recorded worldwide.

The US and UK, like many other countries, have already talked about “living with the virus” and wound down many of the tests

and social mixing rules.

Dr Mike Ryan, from the WHO’s health emergencies programme, said the emergency may have ended, but the threat is still there.

“We fully expect that this virus will continue to transmit and this is the history of pandemics,” he said.

“It took decades for the final throes of the pandemic virus of 1918 to disappear.

“In most cases, pandemics truly end when the next pandemic begins.” (BBC)

Baby born from three people’s DNA in UK first

A baby has been born using three people’s DNA for the first time in the UK, the fertility regulator has confirmed.

Most of the baby’s DNA comes from its two parents and around 0.1% from a third, donor woman.

The pioneering technique is an attempt to prevent children being born with devastating mitochondrial diseases.

Fewer than five such babies have been born, but no further details have been released.

Mitochondrial diseases are incurable and can be fatal within days or even hours of birth. Some families have lost multiple children and this technique is seen as the only option for them to have a healthy child of their own.

Mitochondria are the tiny compartments inside nearly every cell of the body that convert food into useable energy.

Defective mitochondria fail to fuel the body and lead to brain damage, muscle wasting, heart failure and blindness.

They are passed down only by the mother. So mitochondrial donation treatment is a modified form of IVF that uses mitochondria from a healthy donor egg.

There are two techniques

Most of the baby’s DNA comes from its two parents and around 0.1% from a third, donor woman

for performing mitochondrial donation. One takes places after the mother’s egg has been fertilised by the father’s sperm and the other takes place before fertilisation.

However, mitochondria have their own genetic information or DNA which means that technically the resulting children inherit DNA from their parents and a smidge from the donor as well. This is a permanent change that would

be passed down through the generations.

This donor DNA is only relevant for making effective mitochondria, does not affect other traits such as appearance and does not constitute a “third parent”.

The technique was pioneered in Newcastle and laws were introduced to allow the creation of such babies in the UK in 2015. However, the UK did not

immediately press ahead. The first baby born via this technique was to a Jordanian family having treatment in the US in 2016.

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (the HFEA) is saying “less than five” babies have been born as of 20 April 2023. It is not giving precise numbers to prevent the families being identified. These limited details have

emerged after a Freedom of Information request by the Guardian newspaper.

“News that a small number of babies with donated mitochondria have now been born in the UK is the next step, in what will probably remain a slow and cautious process of assessing and refining mitochondrial donation,” said Sarah Norcross, the director of the Progress Educational Trust.

There has been no word from the teams in Newcastle so it is still uncertain whether the technique was successful.

Prof Robin Lovell-Badge, from the Francis Crick Research Institute, said: “It will be interesting to know how well the mitochondrial replacement therapy technique worked at a practical level, whether the babies are free of mitochondrial disease, and whether there is any risk of them developing problems later in life.”

There is technically a risk of “reversion” where any defective mitochondria that are carried over could gain in number and still result in disease.

It had once been estimated that up to 150 such babies could eventually be born each year in the UK. (BBC)

Science & Technology

Webb telescope spies evidence of hidden planets around nearby star

Astronomers used the James Webb Space Telescope to observe the first asteroid belt seen outside of our solar system and unveiled some cosmic surprises along the way.

The space observatory focused on the warm dust that encircles Fomalhaut, a young, bright star located 25 light-years from Earth in the Piscis Austrinus constellation.

The dusty disk around Fomalhaut was initially discovered in 1983 using NASA’s Infrared Astronomical Satellite. But the Webb researchers weren’t expecting to see three nested rings of dust extending out 14 billion miles (23 billion kilometres) from the star — or 150 times the distance of Earth from the sun.

Webb’s new view revealed Fomalhaut’s two inner belts for the first time, which didn’t appear in previous images taken by the Hubble Space Telescope or other observatories.

The detailed image of the dust belts, captured in infrared light that is invisible to the human eye, showed that the structures are more complex than the main asteroid belt and Kuiper Belt in our solar system.

The main asteroid belt, located between Mars and Jupiter, is where leftovers from the formation of our solar system orbit the sun. More

icy leftovers can be found in the Kuiper Belt on the edge of our solar system, a doughnut-shaped ring of small celestial bodies and dust beyond Neptune.

The revelation of the Fomalhaut’s two inner rings has suggested that planets hidden deeper within the star system may be affecting the dust belt’s shape. Fomalhaut’s outer belt alone is about twice the scale of the

Soap can make humans more attractive to mosquitoes, study finds

LATHERING up with soap might seem a reasonable mosquitoevasion strategy on the basis that if they can’t smell you, they can’t bite you.

However, a study suggests that rather than helping you go incognito, soapy fragrances could make you a more attractive target, with mosquitoes favouring the scent of volunteers who washed with three out of four popular soap brands tested.

The scientists behind the research said mosquitoes may be attracted to soap because, when they are not feeding on blood, they supplement their sugar intake with plant nectars.

“The fact we are taking those flowery, fruity smells and putting them on our bodies means that now the same object smells like a flower and a person at the same time,”

said Clément Vinauger, who led the work at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. “It would be like waking up and smelling something that was like both coffee and muffins. Very appealing.”

However, the study also noted that the effects of soaps differed somewhat between people, possibly due to interactions between the soaps and each person’s unique odour profile.

Vinauger said: “It’s remarkable that the same individual that is extremely attractive to mosquitoes when they are unwashed can be turned even more attractive to mosquitoes with one soap, and then become repellent or repulsive to mosquitoes with another soap.”

The scientists concluded that soap choice could partially explain

belts by the gravitational influence of what the researchers believe are unseen planets that orbit the star, the same way Jupiter and Neptune shape our asteroid belt and the inner edge of the Kuiper Belt.

“I would describe Fomalhaut as the archetype of debris discs found elsewhere in our galaxy, because it has components similar to those we have in our own planetary system,” said lead study author András Gáspár, assistant research professor of astronomy at the University of Arizona in Tucson, in a statement.

“By looking at the patterns in these rings, we can actually start to make a little sketch of what a planetary system ought to look like — if we could actually take a deep enough picture to see the suspected planets.”

The cloud is separate from another feature spied by Hubble in 2008 that might have been a planet — but further observations showed the object disappeared by 2014, implying another collision that left only dust in its wake.

Stars form from gas and dust, and then a ring of leftover material called a protoplanetary disk orbits the star, where planets are born. The idea of the disk originated from astronomers Immanuel Kant and Pierre-Simon Laplace in the late 18th century. Once the planets form around a star, debris belts form and become shaped by the gravity of the planets. Inside the belts, objects like asteroids crash into one another and create more debris and dust.

Kuiper Belt. The new image and a study detailing the findings was published Monday in the journal Nature Astronomy.

GRAVITATIONAL FORCES

SHAPE THE RINGS

Fomalhaut’s massive dust belts were likely created from the debris left behind as larger bodies such as asteroids and comets collided. Then, the dust was shaped into

Combining Webb’s new observation along with images taken previously by Hubble, the European Space Agency’s Herschel Space Observatory and the Atacama Large Millimeter/ submillimeter Array of telescopes can provide scientists with a more detailed view of how belts of debris form around stars.

Webb also observed a feature Gáspár calls “the great dust cloud,” where two celestial bodies might have collided in the outer ring.

Studying the dust belts can help unlock more of the secrets behind how planetary systems form.

“The belts around Fomalhaut are kind of a mystery novel: Where are the planets?” said study coauthor George Rieke, regents professor of astronomy and planetary sciences at the University of Arizona in Tucson and science team lead for Webb’s Mid-Infrared Instrument used in the observations, in a statement. “I think it’s not a very big leap to say there’s probably a really interesting planetary system around the star.” (CNN)

Mosquitoes may be attracted to soap because, when they are not feeding on blood, they supplement their sugar intake with plant nectars

why some people are mosquito magnets while others get off bitefree.

The study, published in the journal iScience, recruited four volunteers who submitted fabric samples that they had worn as a sleeve while either unwashed or after washing with four different brands of soap – Dial, Dove, Native, and Simple Truth. Female

mosquitoes – only females feed on blood – were observed landing on the fabric samples to give an indication of their preference. Fabric was used rather than exposing the volunteers themselves, to exclude the effects of exhaled carbon dioxide, which is another important cue for mosquitoes.

Washing with Dove, Dial

and Simple Truth increased the attractiveness of some, but not all, volunteers, while washing with Native soap tended to repel mosquitoes. The relatively repellent effect of Native could be linked to its coconut scent, the scientists said, as there is some evidence that coconut oils are a natural deterrent for mosquitoes. (The Guardian.com)

An annotated image of the Fomalhaut system reveals different structures in the three dust belts around the star

Science & Technology

Updated DNA map better reflects human diversity

Scientists have produced an updated map of all human DNA which could help to transform medical research.

The original human genome, published 20 years ago, is mostly from one person, and does not represent human diversity.

The latest version - dubbed the pangenome - is made up of data from 47 people from Africa, Asia, the Americas and Europe.

It is hoped it will lead to new drugs and treatments that work for a much wider range of people.

According to Dr Eric Green, who is director for the National Human Genome Research Institute in Bethesda Maryland, the research, which has been published in the journal Nature, has the potential to transform medical research.

“This represents a tremendous scientific achievement. A pangenome that better reflects the diversity of the human population will enable scientists to better understand how genetic variation influences health and disease and moves us to a future in which genomic medicine benefits everyone”.

The pangenome consists of 47 separate DNA maps of the people from different ancestries, which can also be combined and compared with new software tools to find important genetic differences.

The aim is to develop more

Researchers say the new genetic map of humanity is more representatives of variety

effective treatments for more people, but genetic scientists are aware that the research has the potential to be misused. Prof Muzlifah Haniffa, of the Sanger Institute in Newcastle, who was not part of the research team, said that the science should not be misinterpreted,

“Genetic information about diversity should be used responsibly and not to provide evidence of differences in race, which is a social construct. We have to understand what it shows and, importantly, what it doesn’t show. We have to make sure that taking information very superficially to establish false racial characteristics

Renewable energy projects worth billions stuck on hold

Billions of pounds’ worth of green energy projects are on hold because they cannot plug into the UK’s electricity system, BBC research shows.

Some new solar and wind sites are waiting up to 10 to 15 years to be connected because of a lack of capacity in the system - known as the “grid”.

Renewable energy companies worry it could threaten UK climate targets.

National Grid, which manages the system, acknowledges the problem but says fundamental reform is needed.

The UK currently has a 2035 target for 100% of its electricity to be produced without carbon emissions.

Last year nearly half of the country’s electricity was net-zero.

But meeting the target will require a big increase in the number of renewable projects across the country. It is estimated as much as five times more solar and four times as much wind is needed.

The government and private investors have spent £198bn on renewable power infrastructure since 2010. But now energy companies are warning that significant delays to connect their green energy projects to the system will threaten their ability to bring more green power online.

A new wind farm or solar site can only start supplying energy to people’s homes once it has been plugged into the grid.

from other backgrounds, according to Dr Karen Miga of the university of California in Santa Cruz.

“Having one map of a single human genome cannot adequately represent all of humanity. This reboot can be the foundation for the scientific community to have more equitable healthcare in the future”.

Although the map of the human genome currently used by researchers has a lot of African DNA in it, counterintuitively it is the population that is one of the most lacking, according to Dr Ewan Birney, deputy Director General of the European Molecular Biology Lab near Cambridge.

are diverse, and it’s important that our analytical methods incorporate that.

Two recent studies in the US and in the UK and Ireland found that children of European ancestry were twice as likely to be diagnosed with genetic tests than those of African ancestry.

Dr Alexander Arguello, who is the programme director at at the National Human Genome Research Institute, says the aim of the new project was to change those outcomes.

“The hope is that once you capture sufficient diversity you will get the same diagnostic results whatever the population”.

does not happen”.

The human genome was largely completed in 2003. It is a map of the basic chemical building blocks that make up human DNA. Researchers use it to identify genes involved in diseases so as to develop better treatments. It has led to improved cancer therapies and the development of tests to predict the onset of inherited conditions, such as Huntington’s disease.

But the downside is that 70% of the genome came from a single individual: an American man with European and African ancestry. This therefore misses important genetic differences that play an important part in diseases in people

“The most important place in the World to get genomes from is sub-Saharan Africa. It is where we started as a species, and it has the greatest genetic diversity. So, one African American genome is not enough to represent that diversity”.

BETTER TREATMENTS

Dr Zamin Iqbal, a senior researcher at EMBL’s European Bioinformatics Institute near Cambridge, believes that a more representative genome will lead to better treatments for more people.

“Expanding the range of populations present in the human reference genome will reduce a long-standing implicit bias in studies of human genetics. Humans

The new pangenome is made up from 47 people, half of whom have ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa, a third from the Americas, 13% from China and 2% from Europe, with representation of indigenous people.

But this is just the start of an ambitious programme to better represent the diversity of the world’s population. The initial aim is to increase the number to 350. After that the scientists leading the largely US programme plan to increase numbers and diversity further by working with organisations from other countries in what they hope will become phase two of the human genome project. (BBC)

Energy companies like Octopus Energy, one of Europe’s largest investors in renewable energy, say they have been told by National Grid that they need to wait up to 15 years for some connections - far beyond the government’s 2035 target.

‘LONGEST GRID QUEUES IN EUROPE’

There are currently more than

£200bn worth of projects sitting in the connections queue, the BBC has calculated.

Around 40% of them face a connection wait of at least a year, according to National Grid’s own figures. That represents delayed investments worth tens of billions of pounds.

“We currently have one of the longest grid queues in Europe,”

The problem is so many new renewable projects are applying for connections, the grid cannot keep up. The system was built when just a few fossil fuel power plants were requesting a connection each year, but now there are 1,100 projects in the queue. (BBC)

Some new solar and wind sites are waiting up to 10 to 15 years to be connected because of a lack of capacity in

the system - known as the “grid”

according to Zoisa NorthBond, CEO of Octopus Energy Generation.

Sports International

Messi and Argentina World Cup team win Laureus awards

Lionel Messi and his World Cupwinning Argentina scored a double by being named Sportsman and Team of the Year at the Laureus World Sports Awards.

Messi captained Argentina, scored seven times and won the Golden Ball as his country won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar in December.

He is the first athlete to win the team and individual awards in the same year.

Sportswoman of the year went to Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.

She won the women’s 100m world title at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon in July, becoming the first person to win five golds in an individual track event at the championships.

“This is a special honour,”

– Fraser-Pryce wins Sportswoman of the Year

said Paris St-Germain forward Messi, 35. “Particularly as the Laureus World Sports Awards are in Paris this year, the city that has welcomed my family since we came here in 2021.

“I want to thank all my teammates, not only from the national team but also at PSG - I have achieved none of this alone and I am grateful to be able to share everything with them.”

Fraser-Pryce’s 100m gold came 13 years after her first and the 36-year-old has more world sprint titles than any other athlete.

She ran a sub-10.7-seconds 100m seven times in 2022, three more than the previous best for a female sprinter in a calendar year.

“I was thrilled to be nominated alongside such inspiring women athletes, and to win this award, voted for by some of the greatest sportsmen and women of all time, is just amazing,” she said.

“This is the sixth time I’ve been nominated in this category, so to finally hold the Laureus statuette in my hands is one of the greatest honours of my career.”

Argentina lifted the World Cup for the third time, beating France in a penalty shootout in Doha after possibly the greatest final of all time, which ended in a 3-3 draw.

They beat England’s Euro 2022-winning Lionesses, men’s Champions League winners Real Madrid and France’s men’s Six

Nations champions to win the award.

Manchester United and Denmark midfielder Christian Eriksen won Comeback of the Year following his return to football after collapsing on the pitch because of cardiac arrest during Euro 2020, while men’s tennis world number two Carlos Alcaraz was awarded World Breakthrough of the Year after a 2022 in which the then 19-year-old won the US Open and became tennis’ youngest men’s number one.

The award winners were voted for by a selection of sporting greats who make up the members of the Laureus Academy.

FULL AWARDS LIST

• Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award: Lionel Messi

• Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year award: Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce

• Laureus World Team of the Year award: Argentina men’s football team

• Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year award: Carlos Alcaraz

• Laureus World Comeback of the Year award: Christian Eriksen

• Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability award: Catherine Debrunner

• Laureus World Action Sportsperson of the Year award: Eileen Gu

• Laureus Sport for Good award: TeamUp (A programme for children displaced by war by Barcelona and Poland striker Robert Lewandowski) (BBC)

Andy Murray won his first title in nearly four years by beating Tommy Paul in the final of the ATP Challenger event in Aix-enProvence.

Briton Murray, 35, came back from a set down against American top seed Paul to win 2-6 6-1 6-2.

It is the three-time Grand Slam champion’s first title since winning in Antwerp in 2019, and his first on clay since 2016 in Rome.

It is his first title at the secondtier Challenger level since 2005.

“This last year, 18 months, has been a bit of struggle with my game. But [my team] have been there supporting me and working with me to try and get better,” said Murray.

“We keep going from here.”

Fifth seed Murray took a late wildcard entry into the tournament to get more clay-court match time before the French Open, following first-round exits from Monte Carlo and Madrid in April.

After a slow start against Paul, in which the world number 17 won the opening four games en route to taking the first set, Scotland’s Murray found his level at the start of the second set and reeled off five successive games.

Paul, a semi-finalist at this year’s Australian Open, got on the board but Murray levelled the match on his first set point and picked up where he left off in the decider, immediately breaking his opponent’s serve.

He missed out on the opportunity to go 3-0 up by failing to convert two break points, and later saw another go begging before he finally broke 25-year-old Paul again in what turned out to be the penultimate game, before serving out the match.

Victory means Murray will rise to 42 in the world when the rankings are updated on Monday - his highest world ranking since May 2018.

His win over Paul marks his third victory over a top-20 player this year, after beating Matteo Berrettini in the first of his enthralling battles at the Australian Open in January, and Alexander Zverev in Doha in February.

Argentina won the 2022 World Cup by beating France on penalties in the final following a thrilling 3-3 draw

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has won 10 outdoor world sprint titles, including relays

Murray last won a title on clay in

Murray beats Paul in Aix-en-Provence final for first title since 2019

Eric Lira pleads guilty to supplying performance-enhancing drugs to Olympic athletes

A TEXAS man faces up to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to supplying performance-enhancing drugs to Olympic athletes.

Eric Lira, 43, is the first defendant to be charged under a new US law introduced in the wake of Russia’s state-backed Olympic doping scandals.

The 2020 law is named after Russian whistleblower Grigory Rodchenkov.

US Attorney Damian Williams said in a federal court the case was a “watershed moment for international sport”.

The Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act enables US authorities to prosecute individuals involved in “doping schemes for the purpose of influencing international sports competitions” including those who

have not previously been governed by sport anti-doping laws

Lira was found to have supplied drugs to Nigerian sprinter Blessing Okagbare, who last year was banned from athletics for 11 years.

The 34-year-old was expelled from the Tokyo Olympics just before the women’s 100m semifinals after it emerged she had tested positive for human growth hormone in an out-of-competition test in Slovakia before the delayed 2020 Games.

Williams added: “Lira provided banned performance-enhancing substances to Olympic athletes who wanted to corruptly gain a competitive edge.

“Such craven efforts to undermine the integrity of sport subverts the purpose of the

Ankle injury rules Woods out of 2023 US PGA Championship

Olympic Games: to showcase athletic excellence through a level playing field.

“Lira’s efforts to pervert that goal will not go unpunished.”

The maximum sentence for violating the Rodchenkov AntiDoping Act is 10 years in prison, although Lira’s sentence will be determined by a judge at a later date.

“Without this law, Lira, who held himself out as a doctor to athletes, likely would have escaped consequence for his distribution of dangerous performance-enhancing drugs and his conspiracy to defraud the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games because he did not fall under any sport anti-doping rules,” said Travis Tygart, chief executive of the United States Anti-Doping Agency, in a statement.

Joy Neville: Irish referee will be first female official at a men’s World Cup

Ireland’s Joy Neville will be the first female to officiate at a men’s Rugby World Cup.

The former Ireland captain has been named as a television match official for the 2023 tournament, which will take place in France from September.

Neville refereed the women’s World Cup final in 2017, and in 2020 became the first female TMO for a top-level men’s Test match.

England’s Wayne Barnes will officiate at a record fifth straight World Cup.

Barnes, who has refereed a record 102 Test matches, returns to the country in which he made his World Cup debut in 2007.

Nika Amashukeli, meanwhile,

will make history as the first Georgian to officiate at a World Cup.

Neville’s fellow TMO Ben Whitehouse, from Wales, will follow in the footsteps of his father Nigel, who was an assistant referee and TMO at the 2003 tournament.

A total of 26 match officials - 12 referees, seven assistant referees and seven TMOs - representing nine nations, with more than 630 Test appearances between them, will take charge of the 48 tournament matches throughout September and October.

Referees: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia), Wayne Barnes (England), Nic Berry (Australia), Andrew Brace (Ireland), Matthew Carley (England), Karl Dickson

(England), Angus Gardner (Australia), Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand), Luke Pearce (England), Jaco Peyper (South Africa), Mathieu Raynal (France) and Paul Williams (New Zealand).

Assistant Referees: Chris Busby (Ireland), Pierre Brousset (France), James Doleman (New Zealand), Craig Evans (Wales), Andrea Piardi (Italy), Christophe Ridley (England) and Jordan Way (Australia).

Television Match Officials: Brett Cronan (Australia), Tom Foley (England), Marius Jonker (South Africa), Brian MacNeice (Ireland), Joy Neville (Ireland), Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand) and Ben Whitehouse (Wales) (BBC)

Tiger Woods has been ruled out of the 2023 US PGA Championship as the 15-time major champion continues to recover from an ankle injury.

It is the third time in seven years the American, 47, will miss the tournament.

Three-time major winner Jordan Spieth will take part, having been a doubt after withdrawing from the AT&T Byron Nelson this week with a wrist injury.

The second men’s major of the year is being held at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York, from 18-21 May.

Woods has struggled since a car crash in February 2021 left him with severe leg injuries.

He feared his leg would have to be amputated after the accident

in Los Angeles, but made a remarkable return 14 months later to make the cut at last year’s Masters.

Woods played just three competitive events in 2022, though, and withdrew from the Masters in April before the resumption of the third round after aggravating a heel problem.

He then had “successful” ankle fusion surgery but his participation in the US PGA Championship - a tournament Woods has won four times - was always in doubt.

The third men’s major will be the US Open, which takes place from 15-18 June in Los Angeles, while the Open Championship is hosted by Royal Liverpool from 20-23 July. (BBC)

Tiger Woods had to withdraw in the third round of the Masters in April

Lira was found to have supplied drugs to Nigerian sprinter Blessing Okagbare

Neville refereed the women’s World Cup final in 2017

Sports International

Ryder Cup: Garcia, Poulter & Westwood ineligible for 2023 event after quitting DP World Tour

Ryder Cup stars Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood will all be ineligible to play in this year’s event after resigning from the DP World Tour.

The trio, along with Richard Bland, had been sanctioned for breaking tour rules after joining breakaway tour LIV Golf.

The players say they have “no option” given punishments being imposed after they joined the Saudi Arabia-funded tour.

Bland has also quit the European circuit.

All four will now be unable to play for Europe against the United States in Rome.

In a statement, the DP World Tour confirmed the resignations saying they had been “sanctioned for serious breaches of the tour’s conflicting tournament regulations”.

The players were hit with £100,000 fines for playing in LIV’s opening tournament at the Centurion Club in Hertfordshire last June. They lost an appeal held by the arbitration service Sport Resolutions and had until 3 May to

Mexican who became first footballer to play at five World Cups dies aged 93

Mexican football legend Antonio Carbajal, the first footballer to play at five World Cups, has died aged 93.

Known as “La Tota”, the goalkeeper played at the Brazil 1950, Switzerland 1954, Sweden 1958, Chile 1962 and England 1966 tournaments.

Carbajal held the record alone for 32 years until it was equalled by Germany’s Lothar Matthaus in 1998.

He won 48 caps for his country, 11 of which came at World Cups, in addition to 409 appearances at club level.

The majority of his 18-year playing career was spent at

Mexican side Club Leon, where he played 364 games during a 16-year stay.

The club said it would open the doors to its stadium on Thursday to allow fans to pay their respects to Carbajal, also known as “El Cinco Copas” after his achievement, in the company of his family.

“Don Antonio, legends never die,” the club said.

“We will always follow your hand. It is an honour to be your team.”

The club told supporters: “With honour, respect and love, let’s say our last goodbye to the emerald legend.”

pay their fines.

The DP World Tour thanked the players for the contribution they have made, adding: “In particular Sergio, Ian and Lee for the significant part they have played in Europe’s success in the Ryder Cup over many years”.

Garcia is Europe’s all-time record points scorer while Westwood played in a record 11 matches for Europe.

World number one Jon Rahm has made no secret of his desire to partner Garcia in this year’s match after both Spaniards combined successfully when Europe lost at Whistling Straits in 2021.

“The resignations, however,

along with the sanctions imposed upon them, are a consequence of their own choices,” the DP World Tour statement added.

“As we have consistently maintained throughout the past year, the tour has a responsibility to its entire membership to administer the member regulations which each player signs up to.

“These regulations are in place to protect the collective interests of all DP World Tour members.”

Under the tour’s rules the players cannot serve as future captains or vice captains. Westwood, Poulter and Garcia were seen as certainties to skipper Europe in future Ryder Cups until they defected to LIV.

Westwood called it “a sad day” according to the Daily Telegraph. The Englishman has been a member for more than 30 years after joining as a 19-year-old.

“I could not see any other option with all the punishments hanging over me,” Westwood said.

“I don’t agree with the direction [chief executive] Keith [Pelley] and his board have taken and I want to move on.” Westwood, who signed a multi-million dollar deal with LIV, confirmed he has paid his £100,000 fine.

The DP World Tour say they will provide a further update on the 14 other sanctioned LIV players on Thursday, 4 May. (BBC)

World Team Cup: GB men win title after beating Netherlands in final

Great Britain’s men were crowned wheelchair tennis world champions after beating the Netherlands in the final of the World Team Cup. Singles world number one Alfie Hewett completed the win with a 7-5 6-2 victory over Ruben Spaargaren.

Earlier in Sunday’s final in

Vilamoura, Portugal, his teammate Gordon Reid had defeated Tom Egberink 6-2 6-4.

With Ben Bartram completing the team, it is the third time - and first since 2019 - GB’s men have won the title.

The Netherlands had won the last two editions of the tournament.

The World Team Cup is wheelchair tennis’ biggest team competition, and its equivalent of the Davis Cup or Billie Jean King Cup. In the women’s tournament, GB - Lucy Shuker, Cornelia Oosthuizen and Abbie Breakwell - placed fourth, missing out in the bronze medal final to France.

Antonio Carbajal was part of Mexico’s first victory at a World Cup against Czechoslovakia in Chile in 1962

The trio of Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter - pictured with Rory McIlroy after the 2014 win - have played in 28 Ryder Cups between them

Great Britain’s men previously won the World Team Cup in 2015 and 2019

Sports National

PSA now a recognised Royal Yachting Association training school

The Provo Sailing Academy is now the first and only sailing school within the Turks and Caicos Islands to be recognised as a Royal Yachting Association training school.

The Royal Yachting Association is a United Kingdom national governing body for sailing, dinghy sailing, yacht and motor cruising, sail racing, RIBs and sports boats, windsurfing and personal watercraft and a leading representative for inland waterways cruising.

There are 2,400 RYArecognised training centres in the length and breadth of the UK and in 58 countries around the world including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Indonesia, Thailand, the USA and now Turks and Caicos Islands.

According to information from the local academy, it took “a lot of time and effort with support from the Andrew Simpson Foundation” to accomplish the feat.

The RYA training courses are said to be the best in the world and allows schools to follow a strict and cohesive curriculum that certifies children and adults in dingy sailing, windsurfing, power boats, yachting etc.

Meanwhile, Alida Amato will be the new senior RYA sailing coach/ manager joining Provo Sailing Academy to spearhead their water

sports RYA programmes.

She is a qualified windsurfing, kite surfing and dingy sailing instructor, “who is a great optimist, RS feva and laser race coach”.

The academy said that it

will be looking to offer more certifications as it grows its boat inventory.

PSA’s Rebeca Reaston Brown said “We are delighted that Alida is joining us and I know she is looking

forward to meeting all our sailors and members. She will create a fun, safe and exciting environment to learn. We are excited our sailors including EGYC groups and scholarship children will start the

new certified sailing programmes in May”.

Children from local schools wishing to apply for scholarships can email provosailingacademy@ gmail.com

WIS honours Dierianna Williams as “Athlete of the Quarter”

WOMEN in Sport (WIS) has honoured youngster Dierianna Williams as the “Athlete of the Quarter”.

The award was given to Williams who was named MVP of the Inter-High School Rugby Championships which were held earlier this year.

She played a significant role in carrying her school, HJ Stallions, to victory. She was also named MVP of the championships.

During a small social in her honour, the youngster received a plaque and a special t-shirt in her honour sponsored by First Lady, Mrs Delthia Russell-Misick who has been

sponsoring the gifts to all the athletes.

Coach Austin Dickenson played a major role in the celebration and spoke to the youngsters about their journey from some 11 years ago. He presented Ms Williams with gifts on behalf of the rugby association.

WIS also presented gifts to

Dierianna, along with words of encouragement.

Family members, fellow rugby players and members of the Anglican Church Youth group were also on hand to celebrate the special event.

According to WIS’s president Sharon Simons, as the body

continues to celebrate 10 years of existence in the TCI, it will continue to motivate and empower other young girls in sport. Young women are also encouraged to join the group as WIS works towards gender equality in sport administration and participation.

The academy will be looking to offer more certifications as it grows its boat inventory.

Dierianna Williams was honoured bfor her outstanding achievement earlier this year

The event was attended by HJ rugby players, WIS officials, church officials and family members

Sports National

TCI beat Guadeloupe in CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship

THE Turks and Caicos Islands’ growth in beach soccer was on full display when they defeated Guadeloupe in their final clash on Wednesday in Group A, in the 2023 CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship in the Bahamas.

The win was remarkable, more so because in 2017, the French archipelago finished fourth overall, while two years prior, in 2015, in the North and Central America:

World Cup Qualification round, they had whipped the TCI 9-3. In Wednesday’s clash, Peterson Evariste carried TCI 1-0 up, before Wilkins Sylvins and Dornell Wiles added goals.

Guadeloupe battled back, but in the third period, Billy Forbes notched in a brace to secure the 5-3 win.

SOLID PERFORMANCES

Although TCI lost their other two clashes, they came up against two strong Central American sides, including defending champions El Salvador, who captured the crown in 2021 after defeating the USA in the final.

In their opener of the campaign on Monday, El Salvador defeated TCI 10-3.

Pendieno Brooks had scored for TCI in the opening period,

but the offence of the defending champions proved to be too much.

Forbes and Ledson Jerome however managed to pull two goals back in the clash.

Costa Rica, who finished as runners-up in the tournament in 2009 and 2015 were able to get past TCI on Tuesday via a 10-2 scoreline.

Forbes again led the TCI with a brace.

Technical Director of the TCI Football Association (TCIFA), Dane Ritchie told the Weekly News that the win against Guadeloupe “was a very welcomed one”.

He said that it “shows that we have made some strides and can compete in these games”.

Dane added that although TCI missed out on advancing, “we will definitely build on this for the next round of qualifiers to come”.

Netball enthusiasts can get a refresher, while those willing to learn the sport will be taught the basics during a six-week training programme, which started on Wednesday, May 10, at the Gustavus Lightbourne Sports Complex.

The new programme is being held every Wednesday from 6:15 pm to 7:30 pm and females over the age of 15 are welcomed. Cost, $10 per session.

The programme is sponsored by BCQS International and Bowden Consulting Ltd.

For further information contact provonetballclub@gmail.com or WhatsApp 247-1586.

Celebration after the win against Guadeloupe

Action between El Salvador and the Turks and Caicos Islands on day one of Group A