TC Weekly News May 20 - 26, 2023

HUGE INCREASE FOR BORDER PROTECTION

Following his clear rejection of a call made by United Nations-appointed independent human rights experts to suspend the forced return of Haitians to their crisis-hit home, TCI’s Minister of Immigration and Border Services, Hon Arlington Musgrove, on Thursday, announced a massive increase for TCI’s Immigration and Border Services.

TCI public servants' salaries to be reviewed

THE Turks and Caicos Islands government is gearing up to undertake a holistic review of public service salaries in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

This comes as the government recently allocated $2.5m in the 2023/2024 budget to kick start the first phase of the TCIG public service salary modifications, which is expected to take effect by December 2023.

To this end, the Government recently inked a contract with Ernst and Young Chartered Accountants (Kingston, Jamaica) following an open tender bidding process.

A statement from the Office of the Deputy Governor issued on Monday, May 15, explained that a total of six bids were received and Ernst and Young were selected as the preferred bidder.

The review which aims to improve salaries and working conditions of staff across the government, will seek to develop a number of objectives including; the pay and grading policy, criteria for allowances, job description template and guidelines for completion, job evaluation, committee terms of reference, grade level standards for job evaluation and grading, grade levels for jobs, pay points and pay rates and compensation market survey.

It will also seek to provide three deliverables that will guide the government’s decision and action plan for public servant salaries.

The three deliverables will include an Execution Plan: “This shall detail the approach to meeting the objectives of the project/initiative, including initial scoping, assumptions, work plan,

Pay scale review infographic (TCIG)

methodology, literature review, timelines and a stakeholder engagement plan”.

“Deliverable 2 – Full Draft Report of the Proposed Pay and Grading System: This shall clearly and concisely present a full draft of the proposed pay and grading system with strategic considerations for review.

“Deliverable 3 – Final Report –Proposed TCI Public Service Pay and Grading System: This shall present the final and agreed report, taking into account feedback from the draft report briefing session as well as comments and feedback from key stakeholders,” the Office of the Deputy Governor stated.

Governor (Acting) and Head of the Public Service, Her Excellency Anya Williams in commenting on the Public Service Pay and Grading Review said:

“The Public Service plays a vital role in ensuring that the objectives of the government are met, that approved policies are implemented and that services are carried out on behalf of the government for the

benefit of its residents and visitors.

“The last comprehensive Public Service Pay and Grading Review in the Turks and Caicos Islands was undertaken in 2012 and was implemented in 2014.

“Since then the Public Service received a 2.5% across-the-board salary increase in 2016 and a 4% across-the-board salary increase in 2022, along with a 6% fully funded investment by the Government in 2022 in the new TCIG Pension and Gratuity Programme.”

She stressed that as the demands and expectations of the public service continue to expand, alongside increased costs of living due to inflation and other factors, it is important that public service salaries are comprehensively reviewed to ensure that staff are appropriately compensated for the work that they do.

She said: “My office looks forward to working with Ernst and Young on this key initiative.

“A kick-off meeting was held on April 21, 2023, ahead of the official commencement of the contract on April 24, 2023, to finalise the

schedule of works. Subsequently, follow-up meetings are held once a week, every Monday.

“As we work to continue to improve not only service delivery but also the salary and working conditions of staff across government, my office is grateful to the government for the financial support provided and looks forward to delivering on this key initiative for the benefit of the public service of the Turks and Caicos Islands,” she added.

A team of consultants is expected to travel to the Turks and Caicos Islands in May 2023 to collect additional data and meet in person with key agencies such as the civil service association, police, education, health and other sectors.

The work is expected to be carried out over the course of the next six months, with the final report and recommendations expected to be completed in November 2023, followed by the first phase of implementation depending on the recommendations in December 2023.

Early warning communication training for emergency workers

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A training session to increase resilience to climate and disaster risks by improving the efficiency and effectiveness of early warning communications was recently hosted for emergency workers.

The two-day workshop – hosted by the TCI Airport Authority’s Dr Holly Hamilton - was held on May 9 and 10 to discuss the implementation of Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Multiple key stakeholders were present including Captain Dixie Smith, adjutant of the Turks and Caicos Islands Regiment.

The workshop has led to the advancement of the implementation of CAP in the Turks and Caicos Islands to increase resilience to climate and disaster risks by improving the efficiency and effectiveness of early warning communications.

Weather, water, disaster risk management and other relevant stakeholders were trained to develop, operate and maintain CAP-enabled Multi-Hazard Early Warning Systems as part of the United Nations Early Warnings for All Initiative.

The training was very effective and has led to the development of a CAP working group, a statement from the Regiment outlined.

Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) training for frontline workers recently concluded (Photo courtesy of TCI Regiment)

Govt announces massive increase for border protection

Following his clear rejection of a call made by United Nationsappointed independent human rights experts to suspend the forced return of Haitians to their crisis-hit home, TCI’s Minister of Immigration and Border Services, Hon Arlington Musgrove, on Thursday, announced a massive increase for TCI’s Immigration and Border Services.

The funds amounting to a whopping $22.7m from the 2023/2024 budget, which is an increase of some 44.7% from the previous year, will be used, among other things, to implement a comprehensive Border Management System to keep track of the status of people entering the TCI.

Musgrove, who had stated that he would “continue to repatriate and deport people” including Haitians that are in the country illegally, had called the UN’s appeal "wrong and ill-advised", and said 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.”

During discussions in the House of Assembly this week, he said that the time is right to have more structure in place to secure the TCI.

absolutely nothing about it.

“But it is this good government that has allocated $4.8m in this financial year to begin the implementation of a comprehensive border management system, complete with end-to-end customer service portal for online applications submission; management and tracking biometrics for the capture of fingerprints for non-Turks and Caicos Islanders...and of course, I’ll brag about our eGates for electronic processing and border entries for low-risk guests that come to these shores.

installing e-gates at the airport include; full automation of the border control process with stateof-the-art passenger authentication software leveraging biometric data contained in the ePassport which will be captured live at the gate.

Passengers will experience reduced waiting time as they will be allowed to carry out checks themselves in just a few minutes allowing for more dwelling time in a duty-free area.

The new systems will also allow more flexibility in terms of process management for the benefit of border authorities.

to carry out their mandates. “This is in addition to two vehicles that are currently being procured for the canine unit.”

“Mr Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition should recall that under his government, both customs and immigration were made to rent vehicles from the year 2017 up to today.”

Musgrove underscored that some $200,000 were allocated in this year’s budget for protective clothing for frontline staff within his Ministry.

He said: “We must remember that our staff are people too and one of the critical issues facing our staff, especially those that face the biggest risks is their personal safety and security.

“This is why Mr Speaker, this much to do about something budget has $200,000 in this year alone for protective clothing… non -lethal weapons, and accidental insurance for our frontline workers this is a first in the history of the Turks and Caicos.

Additionally, $4.8m has been allocated for the digitisation of TCI’s borders.

He said: “And there's no denying, Mr Speaker that these critical infrastructures contribute significantly to the economic prosperity of these islands.

“This government recognised that without proper airports that reflect the luxury destination that we market ourselves as and proper ports to facilitate the safety and security of our trade sector, we will not be able to physically sustain nor feed ourselves.

“Therefore, Mr Speaker this budget has $41m over the next three years towards the redevelopment of the South Dock Port, $570,000 for ports in Grand Turk and $400,000 for the improvement of the ports on South Caicos…and we just put in $500,000 for phase two of the Bellefield Landing.”

He pointed out that the government is investing a “whopping $38.3m in airport infrastructure and equipment throughout the Turks and Caicos Islands”, which includes two fire trucks.

He said: And this is nothing new, this problem exists since time immemorial and it exists during the period when the Leader of the Opposition himself served as a member of the cabinet and did Invest TCI has executed “an impressive” $284.6m in development agreements during Financial Year 2022/2023.

“These systems will not only allow us to know and decide who comes here, who is here, and when they have left but they will also allow us to know in real time what status the person has here and they will allow you the public to apply for, pay for and track applications for our service electronically from start to finish”.

Some of the benefits of

Turning his attention to another critical issue facing the territory, Musgrove highlighted the lack of enforcement of the territory’s immigration and customs laws.

He said: “We have allocated some $600,000 for the purchase of vehicles for our enforcement teams in the area of border protection.

“These vehicles Mr Speaker, are critical for staff to do their jobs and

Of this figure, $2.3m is budgeted for the implementation, data management and training of staff.

PORT UPGRADES

Musgrove who is also the Minister with responsibility for the Ports Authority told the House of Assembly that the security and the operability of seaports and airports is another critical area that needs greater improvement.

The ministry’s budget will see $5.8m, which is an increase of 111.7% going towards policy planning and administrative support for the ministry; $4m for Customs Enforcement, which is an increase of 5.1% and $9.9m for visa & immigration services which reflects a 26.3% increase.

The Ministry’s Employment Services Department will receive $1.8m, while the Labour Tribunal will receive $624,700 and Customer Service Department $502,000.

Invest TCI secures $284.6m in development agreements in 2022

performance of the MSME Grant programme since its inception in Financial Year (FY) 2016/17.

This was disclosed by the Minister of Finance Investment and Trade Hon Erwin Saunders during his 2023/2024 budget address in the House of Assembly on Tuesday, May 16.

The Agency (“Invest TCI”) is a statutory body that facilitates investment inquiries and opportunities and provides a framework for encouraging, prioritising, and incentivising domestic and foreign investment projects in the TCI.

Coupled with this, Saunders informed the House that during the last financial year, Invest TCI awarded $829,000 in MSME grants which represented a stark increase compared to previous years.

He said: “I'd like to highlight the

“In FY2016/2017, 7 grants were awarded for a total of $215,000.

“In FY2017/2018, 12 grants were awarded for a total of $360,000.

While a total of 24 grants were awarded for a total of $602,000 in FY2018/2019.

He said: “In FY2019/2020, 19 grants were awarded for a total of $539,000

“In FY2020/2021, 11 grants were awarded for a total of $321,000 and in FY2021/2022, 44 grants were awarded for a total of $797,000.

“In FY2022/2023, 63 grants were awarded for a total of $829,000.”

He noted that last year marked the first time in the history of the MSME Grant programme that Invest TCI

Invest TCI Logo

exhausted its grant budget.

He said: “Over the first two financial years of our administration, Invest TCI awarded more grants than in all the previous years of the MSME Grant programme combined.

“Mr Speaker, from FY2016/17 to FY2020/21, a total of 73 grants were awarded.

However, during our two

years in government (i.e. from FY2021/22 to FY2022/23), 107 grants were awarded.”

He explained that through the MSME Grant programme, the government is creating Turks and Caicos entrepreneurs.

“This is a prime example of how we are "Delivering on the citizen's contract: achieving social, economic, and environmental

progress for all".

The Micro Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) programme which is managed by Invest Turks and Caicos with support from the Ministry of Finance, Investment and Trade is governed by the MSME Development Ordinance 2015.

The programme makes provision for the Government to provide Concession Orders to qualifying locally-owned businesses operating in identified priority business sectors.

The concession orders allow the company or start-up access to specific benefits, namely: cash grants, customs duty reduction and/ or technical assistance depending on the size of the business.

Invest Turks and Caicos is responsible for determining eligibility to receive concessions or grants, as well as disbursing approved funding.

Minister of Immigration and Border Services Hon Arlington Musgrove during his contribution to the 2023/24 budget

UN AND ILLEGAL HAITIANS

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.

What are your thoughts?

Fully support Minister Musgrove

I support this 1000 percent, times all the millions already spent on this. The UN needs to adopt a measure that either they go in and control Haiti or they will buy a country, take in, house and feed all persons wishing to flee out of Haiti, and while at it, those from Sri Lanka too.

Plus reimburse the Turks & Caicos and the Bahamas for monies spent for each one that had to be detained, fed and repatriated. How dare they try to bully us?

This country is already overpopulated with illegals and they DO NOT care for or have any regard for the laws of these two countries. We have the right to protect what is ours. I stand with Hon Musgrove on this.

Let them put their money where their mouths are

One thing that is clear about “experts” is that they “do not know anything”. There is a dangerous trend in the world where migration, “illegal and legal”, tends to benefit the nation where the migrant is from. This is nothing but systematic destabilisation of a nation. Haiti has been the victim of all kinds of efforts from the West; France, the

US, Canada and the world to keep it broke and poor. This enabled the predators to come in, take gold and most of the natural resources from Haiti to deplete and exploit it, ad infinitum. Since its revolution, circa 1791-1804, Haiti was forced to pay billions to France to simply enable her to trade and to stay within the global trading system. What the United Nations should be doing, along with the rest of the global community, is to hold France to account. Let France allocate $50b annually to stabilise Haiti. While they are at it, let the United Nations spend a few billion to assist in bringing economic, social and military stability to Haiti. The call to suspend deportations is an encouragement to continue breaking laws, encouraging instability and that culture of lawlessness on a global scale.

The ‘so-called’ expert should recommend that another $20b be paid to the Bahamas and the Turks & Caicos, by the United Nations to keep, house, school and feed the illegal migrants. Illegal immigration in the US, UK, French and ‘developed world context” will only benefit those nations with new and enhanced human resources because it carries significant skills transfer.

Fix Haiti

The United Nations is an embarrassment for encouraging these trends and the admonition to suspend deportations should be retracted. It is the UN that should be taking measures to protect the Haitian community

abroad and in the Haitian Republic. The UN should engage the CARICOM Community, the Bahamas, Turks & Caicos, as they have the most to lose, and create a regional Peacekeeping force to move in and remove the de facto regimes. There is rule by junta, gangs and street violence. It is not safe for anyone to enter Haiti. There should also be a regional blockade where vessels from the Bahamas, Turks & Caicos, the US and CARICOM should be lined up to capture any illegal boat with people leaving Haiti. There is enough land space in Florida, Georgia and the US to temporarily House them while the CARICOM Community takes steps to process them. The best and ultimate place for the Haitian migrant or any migrant, is their own country. Conditions need to be returned where they can live, work and function normally. Such a situation would deprive the region, US, UK, France, Canada from having access to cheap “slave-like” labour but that is the case. One wonders if the UK, US, Canada, and the Rest of the World do not have an interest in keeping Haiti destabilised and in the state it has been for years.

Doing what’s best for the TCI

A study of Haitian achievements abroad, show that when they take their skills elsewhere, the new host nation benefits. Michaëlle Jean is a former Governor General of Canada, 2005-2010. Haitians have risen to the top in Hollywood, Government, Media, arts and finance all over the world. These valuable skillsets would be well placed in a stabilised Haitian Republic with its abundance of natural resources. The Hon Musgrove is correct, the UN’s cries to “keep people here” is ‘wrong and ill advised”. That UN expert needs to be dismissed. The minister must do what is best for TCI people.

Hypocrites

Truth be told - countries like France, USA and the rich Europeans are total hypocrites. They set out to screw Haiti from the 1804 revolution for their audacity in liberating themselves from slavery; they imposed centuries of reparations to be repaid to France; the US got in on the gravy train and accepted a portion of the reparations monies for the purchase of Louisiana from France; US and France have time and time again overturned potentially good leaders and readily embraced and openly supported Haitian dictators.

Musgrove do what you have to and do not embrace the Babylonian vampires - they cannot be trusted.

Bring back SPICE

Our government's response to the UN is correct. Small island states such as the Turks

and Caicos Islands cannot bear the burden of illegal immigration. The UN is not assisting us with the issues we are facing as a result of this Haitian invasion of our small country so they need to sit small and shut up. Haiti's problems must be solved by Haitians not the TCI. Bring back SPICE and be rid of this most vexing problem.

Wrong to insult the UN

Oh dear! Why do we have a clown in the Cabinet occasionally? It is embarrassing for a sophisticated prosperous country like the TCI. Nobody wants to send soldiers to die in Haiti once again. Calling the UN "wrong and ill advised" is not language that real politicians and diplomats use. Even the Russians don't insult the UN.

Luckily the FCO in London can use the back door of the Security Council to put this right. Migration is a global challenge, and I suppose the French, especially, will be laughing at our so-called Minister and his blunders. We need our new Governor to get here.

Easy way out

The UN screwed over Haiti and now their ‘experts’ want to screw over the TCI. Once it is known in Haiti that the Turks and Caicos would not deport, expect the numbers to increase by over 1000 per cent. People are dying, being sexually abused and are starving. Where is the brain of the UN to come up with plausible solutions? The best these so called experts can come up with is to promote illegalities and promoting persons risking their lives on the high sea. More need to be done. We are not some third-world nation that you can bully.

Superiority complex

The UN and people who work for them always know what’s right. A pack of fools I would say. Always calling on people of colour to dictate what to do. This is our country, we live here, and the implication of an influx of people would be felt by us, not them.

All the millions in funds and education in those departments and this is the best they can come up with. Look UN experts, get from here.

UK Parliament debates the future of Overseas Territories

A motion recently brought by Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee

MP Alicia Kearns to the House of Commons for debate called on the UK government to ensure that the rights of people in the territories are protected, to defend their sovereignty and to consider the unique circumstances of each territory when shaping policies that impacts them.

On Thursday, May 11, 2023

Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Kearns, who is also the Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Turks and Caicos Islands led a Backbench Business Debate in the UK Parliament on the future of the UKs Overseas Territories.

According to a release from MP Kearns, the House of Commons unanimously passed the following motion: “That this House is committed to upholding the interests of British Overseas Territories and their citizens; recognises the special historical, cultural, and social bonds that bind the United Kingdom and Overseas Territories; and calls upon the Government to ensure that British Overseas Territories citizens’ rights as British citizens are upheld, to defend the sovereignty and borders of overseas territories from foreign powers, and to consider the unique circumstances of each territory when formulating policies which affect them.”

The debate was well subscribed with senior MPs, including three select committee chairs, from all of the main political parties noting the special bond between the UK and the OTs.

MPs from across the House

urged the Government to ensure that this year’s Joint Ministerial Council is a success and that OTs are listened to, and their requests are acted on.

MPs called on the Government to make improvements in areas such as education, accessibility, financial regulation, funding, infrastructure development and cross-departmental cooperation with OTs.

Coupled with this, the success of the Blue Belt and Darwin Plus programmes was highlighted as was the need for every Territories right to self-determination to be respected.

Alicia Kearns MP, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee said: “The UK is blessed to have a global family in the Overseas Territories and our successes working together are truly impressive, not least of all in protecting millions of acres of ocean and countless rare species, both on land and sea.

“I was pleased to lead a debate in the House of Commons on this precious relationship and to raise the issues with the Government that OTs face.

“It was particularly important that the debate was held on the day of the Joint Ministerial Council so ministers could appreciate how much support exists for OTs in the House of Commons.

“The debate saw many positive suggestions raised and I am full of optimism for the future of British OTs”, she added.

PART OF OUR FAMILY

Her sentiments were echoed by the Vice-Chair of the all-party parliamentary group on the British overseas territories, MP James Sunderland who called on the UK Government to better cement its relationships with overseas territories partners for mutual benefit and to seize the opportunities available from these diverse and

Granny Hill woman slapped with charges for handling stolen goods

A 42-year-old woman from Granny Hill Five Cays will appear before a Magistrate on June 13, 2023, to answer charges relating to the suspicion of handling stolen goods.

Rose-Marie Chery who was arrested by ranks of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RTCIPF) on Sunday (April 23, 2023) following an intelligence-led operation has since been granted $40,000 bail, according to a police statement.

The Operations and Response Unit (Beat and Patrol) swooped down on the business place of the female suspect located in Granny Hill, Five Cays Providenciales, and executed a search warrant around 12:15 pm.

During the operation, officers recovered large quantities of electronics, generators, electrical fittings, solar panels, building supplies, power tools, construction equipment, hydraulic oils, power washers, windows, doors,

plywood, fencing materials, pumps, and pipe fittings.

Following an investigation, Ms Chery was officially charged on May 12, 2023, with four counts of handling stolen goods.

Under the Handling Stolen Goods Act- Section 17 (1) of the Theft Ordinance, Cpt. 3.10, a person guilty of handling stolen goods shall on conviction on indictment be liable to a term of imprisonment for 14 years.

strategically essential members of the British family of nations.

He said: “The overseas territories are a vital part of our UK family.

“They are strategically essential in terms of footprint basing and geography, but they are also essential to the projection of UK soft power around the world.

“They have a common language and culture, they have similar hopes and aspirations and we must not underestimate or take for granted their value to the UK.

“If I have to make one point today, and one point only, it is that our overseas territories need more love.

“In this era of global competition, the hunt for resources and strategic basing, and instability across the world, our foes are circling and we need to cement what we have as a nation.”

Sunderland pointed out that Brexit was not kind to the overseas

territories and further urged the UK Government to “lock the overseas territories into free trade deals with us and all our partners and think more broadly, to the Commonwealth”.

“How fantastic would it be for global Britain to have such a network of trade arrangements, particularly with the Commonwealth? Just think of what that might be worth to the UK.

“Think of the potential”, he said. Sunderland told the House of Commons that delegations from the overseas territories to the UK visiting the FCDO deserve more than 30 minutes at a time to discuss their respective issues.

He said: “We must roll out the red carpet for these very important people and listen to their concerns. “We also need a clear and regular bilateral dialogue to fix specific issues because, of course, the OTs are very different, one size does not fit all.”

Rose-Marie Chery (RTCIPF photo)

Alicia Kearns MP speaking in Parliament on May 11

MP James Sunderland

Talk to someone, otherwise, your emotions will control you

Many of us experience so many negative emotions such as anger, sadness, confusion, and a feeling of losing our minds. I encourage you to talk to someone about your emotions. When you keep your emotions to yourself, eventually your emotions will control you.

As a man, we like to keep things to ourselves as we are programmed by society to act like a man and to act like a man, it means you must not show your real emotions. However, if you speak to someone, you can control your emotions and feel better about yourself and in so doing you can improve your state of mind.

I am not a licensed social worker, but I have a lot of experience in keeping negative emotions to myself. For more than 40 years, I kept negative emotions to myself and while I did not act out on these emotions, I was very unhappy

BY DREXWELL SEYMOUR

and was not the person that God created me to be.

Everybody do not react the same. Some people act out on their emotions which may cause them to become addicted to drinking, it may cause them to be abusive, it may cause them to lose their minds, it may cause them to be very unhappy, it may cause them to have suicidal thoughts, it may cause them to commit murders. It may also cause you to be a

hypocrite, you may be living a different life publicly than what you are living privately. It also causes you to live a life of anger.

If you do not control these emotions, the emotions will control you and you may end up experiencing severe mental disorders.

I know there is a lot of concern about trust, confidentiality and what people will think about you if they know that you are experiencing mental issues. At some point

in your life, you need to trust somebody. You can speak to your pastor or someone like your trusted partner. You should also seriously consider speaking to a licensed social worker. The government has a Ministry of Mental health with qualified individuals. Some private clinics such as the Grace Bay Wellness Centre also have therapists that you can talk to.

Talking to someone can make you feel so much better. All you must do is try. These centres are equipped with professionals who have years of experience in dealing with individuals that have mental issues. Don’t you go to an accounting firm like my company HLB when you need reviewed or audited financial statements? Don’t you go to a medical doctor when you are not feeling well? Don’t you go to a mechanic to fix your car? Well, if you are having

emotional issues, shouldn’t you go and see a therapist?

I know society has placed a stigma on mental illness, however, if you want to enjoy your life on this earth, stop keeping your emotions to yourself and speak to someone. Don’t feel bad about the way you are feeling as many other people are going through the same thing but they are keeping it to themselves and so you don’t know. It is time for us to break that cycle so that our children and grandchildren do not experience the same thing. Based on my personal experience, I know it is possible to overcome negative emotions. We are full of too many fears in our lives due to these negative emotions. However, I want to conclude by reminding you that “God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love and of sound mind.” (2 Timothy

1:7)

Do not keep negative emotions bottled up Bank closures in the US could potentially disrupt TCI’s tourism sector

Signals a dire need for economic diversification

Decades of low-interest rates crushed financial profits and out of necessity, many US banks opted to slash costs, and the mass movement toward digital banking triggered by the pandemic exacerbates the problem. Today, these events have ignited a spate of bank closures across the US.

These unfolding banking contagions can potentially disrupt the international travel industry and; more so, the overall health of the TCI’s economy and considering that 83.6 per cent of total tourists to the TCI are Americans, lawmakers should be concerned.

BY D MARKIE SPRING

The flurry of bank runs has already dismantled Silicon Valley bank, a mid-sized financial institution acutely laced to technology investors. Since then, three other banks terminated operations.

The thing is, when a bank closes only customers with deposits of $250,000 or less will likely retrieve their savings if they are insured under the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Appropriately, economists have weighed in! A recent survey revealed that the banking crisis can escalate recession. Nearly seventy per cent of the participating economists said this disruption is an isolated episode; rather than, signals of systematic fragility and many more highlighted that they’ll be more bank failures, as the year prolongs.

Paul Donovan, chief economist, UBS Global Wealth Management posits, as the banking system volatility accelerates the tightening of lending standards, it will likely

rocket a swift economic decline.

Jerome Jean Haegeli, Group chief economist, managing director, Swiss Re sang a similar chorus. He noted, the higher funding costs and tighter lending constraints in place now have increased the likelihood of a recession.

And Rima Bhatia, Group Economic Adviser, Gulf International bank, remarked, economic turbulence and geopolitical tensions sparked recession fears even before the outset of the banking debacle. Besides, the inescapable amassing of vulnerabilities from rapid increase in interest rates will emerge and amplify this risk.

However, it was renowned CBS travel expert, Peter Greenberg, who surmised the financial circumstances from the consumers’ standpoint. In a disruptive situation when consumers’ money are affected or perceived to be impacted, they will spend less, so more money can be allotted to paying basic household bills, to include the rising costs of foods and energy.

To bolster this argument,

the Bureau of Labor Statistics

Consumer Price Index found, US airfares rose by 26 per cent in January this year, compared to the same time last year, and considering this observation, and the idea that consumers would have little access to credit and wealth building opportunities, less money would be spent on travel.

Despite these setbacks, policymakers continue to deposit all TCI’s economic resources and prospects in tourism, which is predominantly wed to the American market. History teaches us – at times – this marriage had often succumbed to world phenomena, causing disruption of services and financial drawbacks.

Seemingly, the American dream is crumbling! Endless political stalemates spiralling into a debt ceiling crisis, inflation is signalling a recession and now, the spate of bank closures threaten long-term economic dilemmas – inevitably would culminate in America’s demise.

In assessing the situation – I am adamant – this is another loud call for economic diversification!

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.

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.

When jubilee comes

– Economic principles from Leviticus

The biblical book of Leviticus is tough to grasp. There are seemingly pointless laws and regulations that hark back to a less sophisticated time. Opponents of the Bible often point to the Book of Leviticus in an effort to show how unrefined and archaic the Bible is for modern times. To begin to understand Leviticus one must realise that it was not written for everyone. It was given to a group of people, the Israelites, who had already accepted God’s presence and rule over their lives. The intention of the book was to remind God’s people that they should live in a way that is different from the people around them.

Numbers 23:9 says of the Israelites that they were to be “a people who live apart and do not consider themselves one of the nations”. While this is applied primarily to Israel as a theocratic nation under God, it also applies to us in essence as a nation that describes itself as a “Christian nation”. And that is why the Year of Jubilee, a revolutionary

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.

economic idea then as it is still to this day, is still worth thinking about and applying.

Leviticus 25:8 says “In addition, you must count off seven Sabbath years, seven sets of seven years, adding up to forty-nine years in all.

9 Then on the Day of Atonement in the fiftieth year, blow the ram’s horn loud and long throughout the land.

10 Set this year apart as holy, a time to proclaim freedom throughout the land for all who live there. It will be a jubilee year for you, when each of you may return to the land that belonged to your ancestors and return to your own clan. 11

This fiftieth year will be a jubilee

for you. During that year you must not plant your fields or store away any of the crops that grow on their own, and don’t gather the grapes from your unpruned vines. 12 It will be a jubilee year for you, and you must keep it holy. But you may eat whatever the land produces on its own. 13 In the Year of Jubilee each of you may return to the land that belonged to your ancestors.

There are two points worth our attention from this passage. Firstly, the year of Jubilee promoted debt forgiveness. This provision allowed individuals who had fallen into debt bondage to have a fresh start after being released from the burden

their debts brought upon them. This debt release in turn enables these individuals to rebuild their lives and become participating members of the economy. On the whole debt forgiveness, in certain cases, can promote economic justice and break the cycle of poverty and exploitation.

Secondly, by transferring land back to its original owner, there

was little chance that one person or a few individuals could own all the land, thereby putting others into work servitude and bondage. This spreading of wealth reduced economic inequality while promoting societal prosperity. This was not socialism in any form, as it honoured hard work and skill, and not entitlement and corruption. However, when wealth is only concentrated in a minority, evils such as injustice and exploitation are never far away. And while we live in a world where there will be poverty, we can live in a world where more and more people are freed from economic poverty through godly economic principles such as the year of Jubilee.

PDM offers humanist alternative to PNP’s big business governance

BY DELANA ISLES

In closing off his remarks during the budget debate this week, Leader of the Opposition and the PDM, hon Edwin Astwood offered voters a choice, one that he hopes they will consider carefully come the next election.

A people-centred government, or big business as presented by the current administration.

Astwood’s comments came on the heels of the territory’s biggest budget ever – that of $424m – and according to him, the ‘big’ is only evident in the dollar amount, as it is devoid of anything for the people.

“I believe that politics should not simply be a choice, but an obligation. Those who seek to serve should go through the preparation of their thinking and understanding to be able to govern their internal world before governing the external world.

“We would travel the path that turns potential leaders into worldly and knowing individuals who understand the culture, concepts, and desires of our people, at every stage of existence, understanding the people as an extension of themselves, and understanding

that the power which is inside each individual makes up the whole.”

He said the concept of power should not be what the current PNP administration offers, that is, “power which lies in the ability to control and manipulate”.

Astwood said his PDM government will administer power correctly and fairly.

He explained how: “It will generate trust, collaboration, and a sense of unity among our citizens of all political and ethnical persuasions, which will cultivate the achievement of the desired change.

“My PDM government will be cognisant of the fact that no system is perfect, and neither is any person, and by recognising this, we will be free to endlessly search for solutions.

“My PDM administration will always search for the solutions and answers from amongst our people first, those here at home, and wherever else they may be dispersed, over earth and water, wishing them a speedy return to home, if they so desire.”

He said a government under his direction as Premier will constantly bear in mind the fact that the results

achieved as a government and as a people will be directly proportional to its attitude toward its people and each other.

“My government’s system will be encouraging our people to be consistent about what they think, what they feel, and what they do, without depending on others for what they believe and how they live.”

He promised: “My PDM government will not be like many politicians, in our context and around the world, who do not want these changes to happen, because they would lose external power.”

Astwood noted that a person who seeks to control others is a person without inner power, poor in soul, lost in his lack of philosophy, and hungry for the scarcity of personal resources.

“As we see now that politics represents everything bad in a society, as it is the reflection of a popular conscience.”

He said his government will be cognisant that it is not only politics that must be transformed, but the people who give meaning to it.

“Politicians are human, and the only answer to the politics of the future is humanism.

“A politician in my PDM government would be expected to be considered a humanist, that is one who gives options and tools to humans, and who provides freedom to choose solutions, and not encouraging blind allegiance.”

He said the focus will be on building beings that are selfgoverning and self-sufficient.

“We will teach the upcoming generations how to navigate the waters of the sea of the subconscious, by the river of life, carrying the responsibility of the internal structures, driven by the winds and the voices of the world, igniting the fire of their hearts, exemplifying that they are capable of governing themselves to the port of consciousness, the new lighthouse before our country’s gleaming sands.”

The party leader said a government under his watch will allow its people to free themselves from political preconceptions, understand that corruption is the distortion of its own culture and irresponsibility, a distortion of their inability to direct their lives and to navigate the sea of the subconscious.

He urged: “Get on the boat with

me and the PDM and let us look at the horizon within. Recognise the humanist in all of us and remember that politics is only the compass of the ship, and an indicator of the conscience of a people.”

He appealed: “I believe strongly that if many of you, working handin-hand with me and my PDM government, were to free the mind of the people, free the soul of the people, and free the bodies of the people, from the oppression of their environment, encouraging them to break the chains of their own interior, then we will hear the sacred cry of a conscious people, who will build a conscious political system, that will advance our country and our people to victory.”

According to the party leader, a PDM victory will not just put them above others as a winner, it would be a recognition that they are eternally victorious.

“Every day you wake up you will be victorious: when you have eaten, when you laugh, when you love, when you rest, when you share, when you create and when you live you will all be victorious.”

He stated that under a PDM government, everyone will be victorious.

Who gets what in PNP’s ‘Biggest budget ever’

PDM Leader says the people get nothing

BY DELANA ISLES

Salaries and opportunities, the works programme, boosting local businesses, more opportunities for higher education and the everincreasing list of civil service vacancies, are among the things the 2023-2024 budget does not adequately address.

This is according to Leader of the Opposition and the PDM, Honourable Edwin Astwood, in his contribution to the budget debate this week.

“Who is getting the ‘big bag’, and who is getting the ‘little bag’ in this budget?” Astwood questioned the government’s “biggest budget ever”.

“Let me inform them that the biggest budget ever does not mean the best budget ever.”

The party leader said he has seen the budgets of former PDM and PNP administrations providing far more to the people while being far less in total spending.

“That is, previous administrations’ budgets have a higher percentage going directly to the people, whereas this budget has almost nothing going directly to the people.

“So yes, this $424 million budget is the most ever in the overall total, but the least ever in the overall percentage being spent directly on our people.”

Astwood said the only areas where big bucks are being spent are professional and consultancy costs, electrical costs, inflationary costs, the impact of minimum wage increases on cost, and civil servants’ recurrent cost increases.

These, he said, are the areas driving the increases in this historic budget.

The party leader said that in his analysis of the salaries in the public service, he believes that a 15 to 20% increase across the board, for all public servants, could and should be offered.

“It is a cost-of-living adjustment raise. It bears no bearing on the pay and grading consultancy to commence later this year.”

Astwood stated that civil servants need, deserve and should get a raise in pay.

“Because the success of any government would not be

realised without the many reliable and dedicated public servants who collectively embrace the responsibility of their duties to carry out the mandate of the government. We have the money to do it, what is lacking is the will.”

He added that he wants to see their salaries aligned with those in the government’s statutory bodies.

Pointing to the government’s works programme, Astwood noted that in the span of three years the allocation for the programme has dwindled from $8.3 million in the first year, to $910,000 in this year’s historic budget.

“There is no large allocation for a works program in this budget. I repeat, no large allocation in this budget.

“The country is in need of some serious cleaning and beautification, just as it was done a few months ago when we had the Royal visit, but sadly, getting our people contracts and working for themselves, earning their own money is not a priority for this PNP Government.

“It is not me saying this, it is the budget that is indicating this.”

He urged the government to reconsider, expand, and put a similar allocation in place, that of $8 million or more, for the works program.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION

Astwood pointed out that yet again, the budget is derived of funding to promote the economic development of the people and individual Islands.

“This government must revisit this. What offerings are there for our established and new business owners? There are none - no programs, no policies, no activities.”

Similarly, in educating the nation, the government lacks, he stated.

He noted for where the TCI is today, the pace of development, locally and regionally, the number of professionals being offered employment in the Turks and Caicos Islands, and the number of foreign-owned businesses now coming to TCI’s shores, this is the time in history that the government should go above and beyond in educating and training its own

people.

“Yet, scholarships are lower than it was in the year 2020/2021. In the budget for 2020/21 the scholarship actuals was $3,753,210 and in this historic budget, the amount allocated is again $3,750,806.”

He said the only consideration given to educating the nation at the tertiary level is them making the community college free, which Astwood said is no excuse for stagnating the scholarship fund.

“Three point seven million dollars for scholarships cannot work in the year 2023/2024.”

He said what is needed today is for every trainable individual in the TCI to be trained, no matter their level of employment, as long as they intend to provide their services to the territory and the people.

“But training has been cut or remained the same in all government departments.”

He stated that the allocation for the training unit for local training was $50,000 for fiscal year 2021/2022, in the 2022/2023 budget it was $40,000, and now in this “historic budget” it remains at $40,000.

TEETHLESS BUDGET

The party leader listed national security, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure, maintenance and projects as having no real teeth in the budget.

“I see no new named infrastructural projects in this budget specifically for our communities and constituencies. I am not talking about national developmental projects which happen to be located in a constituency such as the port redevelopment in Five Cays or works to the airport in Grand Turk; equipment capital projects for CCTV and wheelchairs.”

He said for Grant Turk South, the Bight, Long Bay, Salt Cay, Grand Turk North, South Caicos, Middle Caicos, Five Cays, Cheshire Hall and Blue Hills there is nothing in the budget, and in Wheeland, again nothing, not even a wheelchair.

North Caicos, however, has one new construction project and some renovations.

The party leader said none of these islands and communities have gotten anything from this PNP government after three budgets.

Another sore point for Astwood was the high level of vacancies within the public service.

“What is being done to address the high levels of vacancies in the civil service? What is being done to prevent our people from leaving?

“Rather than our people migrating, they should be home in our beautiful by nature Turks and Caicos Islands, living their best lives.

“What is being done to attract our people to return home, what is being

offered to them,” he questioned.

Pointing to the MSME programme, Astwood noted that with the number of developments taking place in TCI, particularly on Providenciales, the MSME program should be acting aggressively to get Islanders to be producers of wealth.

“One million dollars and $10,000 cash grants cannot do it,” he emphasised, proposing that cash grants be at an initial level of $50k to start a business, next level at $75,000, followed by $100,000.

“Now persons can seriously get a good business up and running.”

In closing, the opposition leader said all of what he outlined in his presentation on this history making budget of the PNP are factual, urging residents not to be bamboozled and hoodwinked by the seat warmers on the other side when they espouse what “this good good PNP government” is doing for them.

“They will direct our attention to certain allocations, and say look at what this good, good government has given. They will show you the total amount and hide from you the elements that the amount consists of. They will hide from you that that increase is due to millions being spent on professional and consultancy.

“They will hide from you that the increase is due to the amount added to all salaries which goes directly to the pension fund, not to the workers bank accounts. They will hide from telling you that much of the increase is due to the increase in electricity costs.”

However, he is calling on people not to be distracted by the ‘noise in the market’ or by the misdirection tricks being used to hide their “shameful” allocations of this budget.

“Yes, I say shameful, as we are not living in a time of constraints, not in a time of austerity, not in a time of rebuilding the country after two disastrous hurricanes, not in a time of a global pandemic.

“The country continues to do well, partly because of decisions made in the past by the previous PDM administration that cultivated this present, and partly because of the grace of God which shields us from natural and manmade disasters.”

Astwood emphasised that this government can and should do more for the people.

“I want you to remember, that to whom much is given, 14-1, much is expected,” he stated.

Leader of the Opposition and PDM, Honourable Edwin Astwood

Government earmarks $65m for capital projects

The Turks and Caicos Islands Government has allocated a whopping $65m for its “ambitious” capital projects programme in the 2023/2024 budget.

Minister of Finance, Investment and Trade, Hon Erwin Jay Saunders who described the allocation as a “bold vision” said it is a significant increase from the average $17m delivered over the past 12 years.

During the 2022/23 fiscal year, the Turks and Caicos Islands Government initiated over 40 capital projects, to the tune of US$18.2m.

This saw new construction, expansion, renovation, and replacement of existing infrastructural facilities across the Turks and Caicos Islands.

However, during his 2023/2024 budget address in the House of Assembly on Tuesday, May 16, Saunders said the allocation was not enough to meet the government’s “ambitious targets”.

He said: “Last year we spent US$18.2m out of a revised budget of US$55.8m on capital projects, making us adverse to budget by a staggering 67%!

“This indicates that our government's aspirations, particularly those outlined in Vision 2040, surpass TCIG’s capacity to deliver at the necessary pace.

“Some may argue that our government is performing better than average, but for the people of Turks and Caicos, that's insufficient.”

He underscored that the government is committed to reevaluating the capital projects process, from concept to delivery, to enhance efficiency while maintaining the necessary checks and balances.

“Our people deserve nothing less, with our capital projects programme, we are not just investing in infrastructure, but with each project completed, we are creating jobs, enhancing our communities, and laying the foundation for a brighter future.”

The Finance Minister stressed that incremental growth in the territory’s capital projects programme is simply not enough.

“Our islands demand something akin to exponential growth in this programme, and that's precisely what our government aims to achieve.

“And I am confident, that if we are successful, all generations of Turks and Caicos – including those yet unborn – will thank us for it.

“Mr Speaker, as President John F. Kennedy once said, “we choose to undertake ambitious projects not because they are easy, but because they are hard”, he added.

Saunders opined that a wellfunded national capital project programme will have immense benefits for the Turks & Caicos Islands as it will spur economic

Minister of Finance, Investment and Trade, Hon Erwin Jay Saunders

growth, foster innovation, and build resilient and modern islands that serve the TCI people.

In an effort to address shortcomings in the capital projects programme, in March 2022, the government amended Regulation 33 of the Public Financial Management (PFM) Regulations.

According to Saunders, this change allowed the entire appropriation for the development fund to be committed for a period of two financial years.

He said: “However, Mr Speaker, there was a downside, all committed projects, whether started or not, were allocated funding based on their budgeted costs, restricting a portion of TCIG's available cash.

“As I mentioned earlier, we spent US$18.2m out of a revised budget of US$55.8m on capital projects last year.

“Consequently, we would have started this financial year with US$37.6m of our “Cash-on-Hand restricted due to capital projects that had not yet started.”

He further explained that this substantial sum would have reduced the Government’s unrestricted cash to less than 90

days of planned expenditure.

“As you are aware, Mr Speaker, for prudence, the TCIG agreed with the UK to maintain a minimum of 90 days of unrestricted Cash-onHand.”

Saunders pointed out that in order to avoid falling below this threshold, the government reverted to the previous regulation, where funding for a capital project expires if not committed by the end of the financial year.

“As a result, many previously committed, but not yet started, capital projects were cancelled and will require resubmission to move forward.

“While resubmission will require some duplication of work, it's a small compromise for a significant gain – this historic budget that we are delivering on behalf of our people.

“This, Mr Speaker, is “delivering on the citizen's contract: achieving social, economic, and environmental progress for all”, he stressed.

CAPITAL PROJECTS

The Capital Expenditure Programme regarded as a critical component of national spending

saw some 40 projects being undertaken during the fiscal year 2022/23, these are:

1. Construction of New Primary School PLS-Phase 2 = $2.1m

2. NJS Francis Building = $1.9m

3. Road - North Caicos = $1.1m

4. Road Works Promenade = $949,000

5. Technical Block Raymond Gardiner High School = $918,000

6. South Dock Port Redevelopment = $887,000

7. Police Armoured vehicle = $761,000

8. Grand Turk Sports Complex and Centre = $636,000

9. Reconstruction of Lil Harkless Canal South Caicos = $611,000

10. Purchase and Installation of New one-million-gallon Salt Water Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) Unit = $579,000

11. Refurbishment of the National Stadium = $574,000

12. Prison Block Reconstruction = $521,000

13. Front Street works = $509,000

14. IT Command and Control System (CAD Radio Upgrade All Islands) = $500,000

15. Upgrading of Water Storage and Distribution Facilities –GDT = $474,000

16. Ballistic vests for Police = $357,000

17. Installation of lights for Parade Ground – GDT = $322,000

18. Installation of an additional one-million gallon tank = $314,000

19. New Block, Enid Capron Primary School = $262,000

20. New Block, Helena Jones Robinson High School = $248,000

21. Refurbishment of Ministry Infrastructure = $235,000

22. New Roof Ianthe Pratt Primary School = $230,000

23. Ambulance for Islands = $199,000

24. Furniture for Ianthe Pratt Primary School = $185,000

25. Renovation of the Governor's Residence = $184,000

26. Furniture for Raymond Gardiner High School = $181,000

27. Upgrading of DECR Laboratory = $178,000

28. Police Building Repairs for All Stations = $165,000

29. Government Complex PLS = $160,000

30. Additional upgrading of DECR Laboratory = $159,000

31. Police Vehicles = $156,000

32. Furniture for HJ Robinson High School = $143,000

33. Mental Health Facility (GDT) = $136,000

34. Reinstatement of Government Buildings All Islands = $136,000

35. Furniture and Equipment for HASH = $133,000

36. Backup Generators for all Government Essential Facilities = $116,000

37. Consultancy Framework Agreement = $96,000

38. Rehabilitation of Salt ShedSalt Cay = $96,000

39. Furniture and Equipment for Office Block South Caicos = $89,000

40. Leeward Park Phase 2 = $77,000

CONTRIBUTORS NEEDED

‘Gracie and Aero’s Wallet’ teaches kids about financial literacy – local author pens third book

Rachel Gregoire has released her highly anticipated illustrated children’s book, which teaches youngsters about money and financial literacy.

The book, titled ‘Gracie and Aero’s Wallet’, is an engaging and informative story told through the eyes of two enthusiastic kids; following their exciting adventures as they work and learn clever budgeting and savings tips.

“I am so excited about this book as it touches on a topic I am passionate about,” Gregoire said.

She said ‘Gracie and Aero’s Wallet’ aims to help parents and guardians teach kids about money, budgeting, and savings, while also highlighting the importance of teaching these basic skills.

Gregoire, who has already penned two bestselling books, said her books are inspired by her passion and deep desire to help others.

“My first children’s book ‘The Great’ is focused on helping kids deal with grief and loss, while the second book, ‘Cry or Boss Up’ is an adult inspirational novel that provides a blueprint to help people navigate their hardships and to turn their adversities into a bold purpose,” Gregoire explained.

While the first two books are vastly different in genre, Gregoire returns to her roots for her third publication - telling children’s stories and teaching important life skills through illustrations.

‘Gracie and Aero’s Wallet’ is intended to be the first of a threebook series focused on savings, entrepreneurial spirit, business, and investment.

The story is told through the eyes of two spirited children, Gracie and Aero, who, with the encouragement of their parents, began their quest to save enough money each month to buy a telescope. On their journey, they learned the importance of hard work, budgeting, and how to make decisions about saving and purchasing.

In addition to the colourful illustrations, ‘Gracie and Aero’s

Wallet’ features a fun and interactive budget chart and ideas for kids to earn money, which is included in the back of the book.

Gregoire - who also holds the titles of mother, financial professional and hotelier - said the book was a personal project for her, one that allowed her to use her background to educate children about financial literacy.

She said it is her hope that families appreciate such literature, which will allow them to introduce the topic of money into their homes in the most kid-friendly and engaging way.

“There is a big disparity in our community when it comes to teaching financial literacy at an early age,” she said.

“My goal is not only to provide a fun and interactive avenue for children to learn about money but also to teach basic life fundamentals and to use that tool as a blueprint for creating good financial habits.”

She credits her long-time illustrator, Jack Foster, for encouraging her as the story gradually took shape and the characters came to life.

As for the inspiration behind the book, the author said she wanted to tell a fun story with a purpose and use it as a tool to teach her 4-yearold daughter.

‘Gracie and Aero’s Wallet’ first made its debut at the Christmas fair last December 17, with an official book launch on April 22 at the Grace Bay Market.

On April 15, the author hosted a book signing and reading at Barnes and Noble, in Fort Lauderdale.

Gregoire extends profound and special thanks to her sponsors: Grace Bay Market, Beaches TCI, Global Capital, Let’s Get Personalized, Cardinal Points International, Rent-an-Event, Bowtie, and Been’s Global LTD.

‘Gracie and Aero’s Wallet’ is now available for purchase on Amazon.com and BarnsandNoble. com, at the Unicorn Bookstore in TCI, or by contacting the author via Instagram @rachelgregwrites_.

TCI author Rachel Gregoire releases third book (Photos courtesy of Rachel Gregoire)

‘Gracie and Aero’s Wallet’ is the first book in a three-part series that focuses on savings, entrepreneurial spirit, business, and investment for kids Gregoire signing a few of her books for parents last month

Louise Garland Thomas High wins big at JATCI 2022/23

High school students demonstrated their aptitude for creativity and innovation as they vied for the top spots in the annual Junior Achievement Turks and Caicos Islands (JATCI) programme which concluded at the end of April.

On April 29, the Junior Achievement Turks and Caicos Islands 2022/2023 company programme ended with final presentations and an awards ceremony at the Beaches Resort Villages and Spa.

Walking away with several prizes were students of Louise Garland Thomas High, under their company name ‘Exclushus’.

Armed with digital and oral presentations, the teams made their final showing before a panel of judges who would ultimately decide which group would be deemed Company of the Year.

The judges - Sabrina Green as head judge, Hon Kyle Knowles, Sheba Wilson, and Elery Jameslistened intently and questioned the teams on their processes, products, marketing, and financials.

Minister of Education, Honourable Rachel Taylor, an avid supporter of the programme, delivered the evening’s keynote address, praising the achievers for their commitment, having followed the programme’s progress from start to finish.

Almando Rigby, the incoming chairperson of JATCI, emceed the event and delivered the charge to the room of aspiring entrepreneurs, urging them to always lead with purpose in all they do.

Meanwhile, the night’s awards were presented as follows:

The best marketing strategy

was won by Exclushus comprised of students from the Louise Garland Thomas High, sponsored by Beaches Resort Villages and Spa.

The most innovative product went to ReNew, comprised of young achievers from the Edward Gartland Youth Centre, sponsored by the Financial Services Commission.

The most profitable company went to the Exclushus team.

The most outstanding company in third place was won by Kreative Kulture, which is comprised of students from the HJ Robinson High, sponsored by Rotary Grand Turk and Projetech.

Coming in second place with the most outstanding company was Island Cultures TCI, comprised of students from Wesley Methodist, sponsored by The Strand.

In first place, the most outstanding company was Exclushus once again.

The Exclushus team won by a mere point, making it a near headto-head finish, much like last year.

Outgoing chairperson, Angela Musgrove thanked the sponsors, JATCI board of directors, and supporting team. Tokens of appreciation were presented to the link teachers, and Musgrove shared how proud she was of the students and their accomplishments.

Director Cathrice JamesWilliams shared JATCI’s alum Wellington Williams’ story as a successful entrepreneur who got his early start in the programme and now boasts operations in Turks and Caicos Islands, Dominican

Most innovative product was developed by young achievers from the Edward Gartland Youth Centre, under their company name ‘ReNew’

Students from the Louise Garland Thomas High – Team ‘Exclushus’won big at this year’s event, taking three awards, among them the firstplace prize for most outstanding company (Photos courtesy of JATCI)

‘Island Cultures TCI’, comprised of students from Wesley Methodist, won second place for most outstanding company

In third place for the most outstanding company was team ‘Kreative Kulture’, comprised of students from the H J Robinson High

National Primary School Spelling Bee is back

The race is on to see who this year’s ‘Champion Speller’ will be, as the annual event returns next week at the Beaches Resort and Spa.

The highly anticipated National Spelling Bee competition showcasing the phonemic awareness of primary students in private and public schools is back on Thursday, May 25, with 14 spellers vying for the coveted title.

The event is put on each year by the Ministry of Education, bringing together the territory’s best spellers as they excitedly prepare to represent their individual schools.

The competition kicks off at 9 am at the Key West conference room and will be broadcast live on Radio Turks and Caicos, while FLOW TCI will provide a complimentary line so that persons who are unable to attend can listen in.

Sponsoring this year’s event are F Chambers and Island Printing.

The prizes for the event include a grand prize of a laptop, with an Apple iPad Mini as the runner-up prize. The top eight of the final 10 will receive an Asus memo tablet.

The champion coach will win an Apple iPad Mini, while

the remaining participants will receive $50 gift certificates and participation trophies for everyone.

The 14 spelling bee participants/ coaches are: Adelaide Oemler

Primary’s Darius Bassett/ Stafford Salmon; Alpha Christian Academy’s Tianna Kerr, Heather Robertson; BEST Institute’s Sydney Kay Brisbane/Tanisha Rigby; Eliza Simons Primary’s Quaiden Bailey/Lashunda Simmons; Enid Capron Primary’s George Williams/ Sacha Deans; Ianthe Pratt Primary’s Andrex Handfield/Natalia Butterfield; International School of the TCI’s Shlok Ganglani/ Iman RudiBonotti.

MILLS Institute’s Nathan Forbes/Denesha Robinson; Ona Glinton Primary’s Joneil Belzi/ Jacqueline Henry; Oseta Jolly Primary’s Ruth Lormine/Tevynn Lewis; Providence International Academy’s Kian Jules/Karla William; Provo Christian Academy’s Marbelli Castillo/ Crystal Glinton; Shining Stars Preparatory’s Atarax Lewis/ Aldith Campbell; and Thelma Lightbourne’s David Lawrence/ Alexa Greene.

Louise Garland Thomas High

CONTINUED FROM  14

Republic, and the US.

Wellington, who attended the awards ceremony, presented one of this year’s top performers with an on-thespot job opportunity.

The JATCI Board of Directors said they were encouraged by the continued support of the community, sponsors, and individuals who support the programme.

...

They said the engagement shown throughout the exercise by Beaches Resort, TCI Financial Services Commission, The Strand, Rotary Grand Turk, Projetech, Caicos Isles Management, and COMO Parrot Cay is a clear display of the corporate community’s commitment to developing the country’s future professionals.

The raccoon (Procyon lotor) is an invasive, non-native species in TCI, but recent sightings of the furry critter propelled the agriculture department into action, with its eventual capture and euthanasia.

This week, the department confirmed that they received information about the sighting of an animal looking like a raccoon on Grand Turk. Video footage –shared widely on social mediaenabled team members to identify the animal and determine its size.

The Department of Agriculture in collaboration with Ports Authority,

Department of Environment, Environmental Health Department and Customs Department, promptly implemented a surveillance and trapping activity with a view to capturing the animal for destruction.

On Saturday, May 13, the animal was captured in the location where it was last sighted by residents.

The animal was identified based on the markings as a raccoon (Procyon lotor), female, nonpregnant or nursing, native to North America.

Raccoons are mammals and vectors to several infectious

diseases and a common vector of rabies. As a result of this, the department took decisive action to have the animal euthanised and disposed of.

The importance of biosecurity systems for inspection of all cargo on conveyances such as vessels and aircraft are critical, the department emphasised, while not confirming that such a breach took place.

They are urging residents to be vigilant and continue to notify the department of such incidents.

“We want to thank all those who assisted in one way or the other in dealing with this incident.”

Public Appeal

Raccoon spotted in Grand Turk has been eliminated (Photo courtesy of TCIG)

From Jerusalem to Cockburn Town

Turks Island donkeys, a national treasure in plain sight

Earlier this month on a Friday afternoon after a full day in Grand Turk, a 40-minute trip on the Salt Cay Ferry, I am finally home. It is surprisingly hot for this time of year; it feels more like September weather. A cold drink from the fridge, I am thinking, a dip in the ocean and all will be good in the world. But as I approach my house, I notice the front gate is open and that some four-legged “visitors” have helped themselves to the contents of my refuse bin. I struggle briefly to keep my aggravation in check and suppress the temptation to curse aloud. Two donkeys, Floppy and Egon are looking on, munching gleefully on the remains of a delectable cardboard box and I can’t help but see the comical side of this situation. I am also struck by a profound admiration for the Turks Islands donkey’s ability to open gates. And that’s not all that’s admirable about this dependable and indeed trusty sumpter of many a bygone generation of Turks Islanders. A rugged beast of burden brought to these isles to work in the salt industry as pack animals long before the automotive revolution. Theirs is a laudable history which, together with a renewed sense of “animal welfare in action”,

BY TITUS DE BOER

especially on Grand Turk, could see the Turks Islands donkey evolve into a much-loved national treasure, rather than a four-legged nuisance that roams the various dumps.

Living on Salt Cay, where donkeys outnumber humans, since 2016 an awareness of your donkey neighbours easily transmogrifies into a fascination on how they survive on this small island and how they came to be here. My interest in their history and physiology has developed from taking notes and photographs, to naming them and eventually wishing to study them.

Donkeys have been used as work animals for at least 5000 years. Of the approximately 40 million donkeys in the world today, about 96% live in underdeveloped countries, where they are used principally as pack animals or for draught work in transport and agriculture. Donkeys

have a notorious reputation for stubbornness, which has been attributed to their strong sense of self-preservation. It is enormously difficult to force a donkey into doing something it perceives to be dangerous, although once a person has earned their confidence, they can be quite friendly, playful, and eager to learn.

It is well known that donkeys are herbivores who graze on grass, eat leaves, stems and the occasional cardboard box. Donkeys have an incredibly strong digestive system, which allows them to consume a variety of plants and extract water from their food thereby enabling them to survive in the most inhospitable areas. This could explain how donkeys coped so well in the arid Turks Islands of the late 17th century.

And with that, we come to my favourite part of this column:

Donkey history! The first donkeys came to the Americas on the sailing ships of the second voyage of Christopher Columbus and were landed at Hispaniola in 1495. Their arrival in the Turks Islands would most likely have coincided with the development of the salt industry in the late 17th century.

The ancestors of the modern donkey are the Nubian and Somalian subspecies called African Wild Donkey (Equus africanus). The remains of domestic donkeys dating to the fourth millennium BC, found in Lower Egypt, suggest that the domestication of the donkey was accomplished long after the domestication of cattle, sheep, and goats. Donkeys were probably first tamed by pastoral people in Nubia, and eventually replaced the ox as the chief pack animal of the ancient Nubians.

In 2003, the tomb of either King

Narmer or King Hor-Aha (two of the first Egyptian pharaohs) was excavated and the skeletons of ten donkeys were found buried in a manner usually reserved for highranking humans. These burials provide compelling evidence of the ancient Egyptians’ veneration for donkeys. Throughout history, the donkey played an unassuming but nevertheless important role. The Bible tells us that a donkey carried Christ into Jerusalem.

The Greek god Dionysus rode on a donkey to his childhood home on Mount Nysa and into battle against the Giants. It was a donkey that provided a mount for Muhammad and who supposedly used it to summon his companions. The list goes on….

Gone are the days when I see a donkey and think, “oh just another donkey”. I don’t know what your reaction will be after reading these words, no doubt some of you will be good enough to let me know. I for one am captivated by this most loyal companion who has coexisted with humans in these islands for almost 400 years and for most of that time has done our bidding. A companion who will hopefully soon be recognised and cared for as the national treasure it is.

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.

Christ rides into Jerusalem, as depicted by fourteenth century painter, Lippo Memmi.

Once a person has earned a donkey’s confidence, they can be quite friendly and playful. (Photo: Titus de Boer)

Staff of the Agriculture Department on Grand Turk, Dr Ralston Bent and Dujohn Fulford, rescue a donkey in distress. (Photo: Erin McCoy)

TCI a hit once again at Travel Marketplace 41st event

The Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association (TCHTA) made a fantastic showing at the CHTA Caribbean Travel Marketplace in Barbados.

Set in the capital city of Bridgetown, Marketplace 41 was a thrilling convergence of the region’s vibrant tourism product on full display for travel buyers from all over the world.

This year, the TCI delegation included TCHTA executives and members, the Minister of Tourism, and team members from the ministry and tourist board.

Caribbean Travel Marketplace, produced by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), is a highly anticipated regional event and is no typical tradeshow. The three-day showcase includes a travel forum, media presentations, and a bustling showroom floor.

The region’s tourism sector is positioned to share its vast offerings to global buyers and hear from leaders on the state of the industry and the CHTA’s goals for the growth of the regional product.

As the region’s most significant and largest marketing event, Marketplace remains an important date on the calendar for many TCHTA member properties like H20 Life.Style.Resort, Ocean Club Resorts, Royal West Indies, Sailrock Resort, Seven Stars, The Palms, The Sands, and The Shore Club, all of whom had representatives among those in the busy showroom at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre.

First-time attendee, Julie Boulet of H20, shared: “As a new boutique hotel, it was important for us to be a part of this event and present our beautiful product to the industry.”

Boulet added: “Marketplace was a wonderful experience and a great opportunity to meet amazing people from the hospitality industry and grow our network. We are in communication with many different companies, and already working on partnerships.”

Marketplace 41, hosted by the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc and the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association, saw many unforgettable inclusions - an inspiring address by beloved Barbados Prime Minister Mia

Mottley, and their first-ever drone show being high on the list.

Stacy Cox, TCHTA CEO, shared: “One could hear a pin drop as the Prime Minister addressed the room, her words and admonishments were poignant and ideal for where we are in tourism as a region today”.

Cox said Mottley presented the tourism leaders with a solemn charge when she encouraged them not to settle for business as usual, but to use the advancements available to focus on the sustainability that their countries will need to lessen their external dependencies for the benefit of the people, and generations to follow.

Another critical segment of Marketplace is the robust press contingent the event attracts. Media from Barbados and the Caribbean, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, and Latin America were in attendance this year.

Flanked by her Permanent Secretary and TCHTA’s CEO, tourism minister Josephine Connolly wowed the packed room as she described the vision of connecting the global travel community with the intimate side of the Turks and Caicos experience through the newly established Destination Management Organisation.

By all accounts, attendees left Marketplace 41 energised and poised for a strong year ahead.

“What a spectacular weekend it was,” Karen Whitt, CHTA Marketplace Chair and TCHTA Marketing Chair said at the conclusion of the event.

“Industry suppliers and buyers are all very excited. As usual, Turks and Caicos is the buzz, and I’m happy that our presence is felt every year. With the important negotiations and connections that are made at CHTA Marketplace, it would be a disadvantage if Brand TCI was not represented,” Whitt said.

She described the overall experience as “just phenomenal”, congratulating the Barbados teams for a well-planned and beautifully executed event.

Whitt shared that TCHTA member and leading airline interCaribbean Airways was a

first-time Platinum Sponsor for the prestigious event.

“interCaribbean is celebrated regionally for their remarkable

accomplishments. It was wonderful to see them displayed everywhere as a platinum sponsor this year. The country should certainly be proud.”

Turks and Caicos delegation with the delegation from Aruba (Photo courtesy of TCHAT)

Jamaica was announced as the host country for CHTA Marketplace 42 which takes place in Spring 2024.

Bahamas: PM leans towards paternity testing for citizenship proof

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis suggested his administration is leaning toward requiring genetic test results as proof of paternity for people expecting Bahamian citizenship after the Privy Council affirmed that children born to Bahamian men are citizens regardless of their mother’s nationality.

“We need to ensure that the daddy is the daddy and that the daddy knows,” Mr Davis said yesterday.

“The only way we’d know that is if we have some kind of a test.”

The Privy Council did not address how to determine paternity in its landmark; neither did Chief Justice Ian Winder when he ruled on the matter in 2020.

The Status of Children Act outlines how one can prove paternity. Still, according to National Security Minister Wayne Munroe, KC, the law specifies that it can’t be used to establish citizenship.

Government officials are uneasy about permitting traditional ways of establishing paternity suffice to obtain citizenship, such as using an affidavit signed by the purported

On Tuesday, Mr Davis suggested his administration is also questioning if birth certificates could suffice as proof of paternity.

“There’s some presumptions that we need to discuss, some presumption that if there’s a birth certificate and it has the father’s name on it, there’s the assumption that he is the father,” he said. “But there are a lot of issues that have to be worked out.”

Mr Davis said resolving the issue is not atop the government’s

legislative agenda.

“I’m awaiting my advice from the attorney general’s office on where we are going and I know his office is looking at what steps would be taken going forward,” he said. “But that’s not a priority at this time because of the court ruling. The court ruling right now says what the law is. The question is how it is to be enforced and affected. That is something that the AG’s office and his team are looking at right now as we speak.”

(Tribune242)

CXC

investigating possible Math paper leak

The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC®) has launched investigations on learning of a possible paper leak on Wednesday, May 17, 2023.

In a press release issued a short while ago, CXC indicated it “is aware of the concerns that the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC®) Math Paper 02, which was written today was leaked.

“This matter is of great concern to us, we have commenced our

investigations and will make a definitive statement once the investigation is completed. In the meantime, candidates can rest assured that this matter is being treated with the highest urgency.” The topic is making waves on Caribbean social media. Some as saying that the leak occurred in two territories however, CXC in its statement did not indicate if the investigations are in specific markets at this time. (Loop News)

Hypertension is one of the most common NCDS in Caribbean

The Trinidad-based Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) says hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is the number one risk factor for illness and premature death from cardiovascular disease, and one of the most common noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in the Caribbean region.

“This disease may go undetected, thus getting your blood pressure checked frequently is especially important so that timely treatment, including lifestyle changes and/or medication, can be started to reduce progression to complications,” said CARPHA’s Dr Joy St John in observance of World Hypertension Day.

World Hypertension Day is being observed this year under the theme “Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It, Live Longer,” with health officials saying the objective is to raise awareness, promote hypertension detection and encourage citizens of all countries to prevent and control this silent killer.

CARPHA said that the nonLatin Caribbean has the greatest mortality rate from cardiovascular

CARPHA said that the non-Latin Caribbean has the greatest mortality rate from cardiovascular disease, estimated at 418 per 100,000 inhabitants

disease, estimated at 418 per 100,000 inhabitants.

It said that a study that examined 10-year mortality trends in 20 English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean countries found that cardiovascular disease accounted for most deaths, estimated at between 13–25 per cent, with Montserrat, Bermuda and Trinidad and Tobago having the highest percentages.

In the adult population aged 30–

79, the regional age-standardised prevalence of hypertension was 35.4 per cent in 2019. It was more substantial in men (37.6 per cent) compared to women (33.3 per cent).

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in 2021 noted that the top 20 per cent of countries in the world with the highest prevalence included countries in the Caribbean, with Dominica (47.7 per cent) having

the highest prevalence and Belize with the lowest prevalence (38 per cent).

CARPHA said that uncontrolled blood pressure can cause serious health problems such as heart failure, stroke, damage to the kidneys and the back of the eye. And although blood pressure usually increases with age, hypertension is preventable and treatable.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), although hypertension is an easy condition to diagnose and treat, globally, about 46 per cent of adults remain unaware that they have this condition.

The risk factors contributing to hypertension are similar to those of other major chronic NCDs such as cancer and diabetes.

Behavioural and lifestylerelated factors, such as eating too much salt, being overweight and not getting enough exercise, excessive use of alcohol and smoking tobacco can put people at a higher risk for developing high blood pressure.

“While there is no cure for hypertension, making lifestyle changes can greatly enhance your

quality of life and reduce your risk of developing heart disease and stroke,” said Dr Heather Armstrong, CARPHA’s head of Chronic Disease, and Injury, stressing the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle at all ages.

“That means reducing your salt intake, eating a healthier diet rich in fruits and vegetables, getting enough exercise and maintaining a healthy body weight for your height and age, and avoiding the harmful use of alcohol,” Armstrong stated.

CARPHA said that when a person’s blood pressure is too high for too long, it damages blood vessels and that a big part of preventing stroke and heart disease is simply being aware of your blood pressure.

“Check your blood pressure numbers regularly to be assured of good health. If you have been diagnosed with hypertension, staying on the treatment prescribed by your doctor or health provider is essential, especially if you have other risks like diabetes, high cholesterol or are a cigarette/ tobacco user,” CARPHA said.

(CMC/Jamaica Observer)

The leak allegedly happened in Math Paper 02

Prime Minister Philip ‘Brave’ Davis

father.

Imports expand 10x faster than exports in the Bahamas

The Bahamas Trade Commission’s chair this week said it was “particularly concerning” that this nation’s imports have increased “ten-fold” compared to export growth with the country’s National Trade Policy set for imminent release.

Philip Galanis, also the HLB Galanis managing partner, told Tribune Business that the annual 2022 foreign trade statistics review revealed that - while Bahamian exports had grown by just under $50m during the four years to end-2022 - imports had expanded by over $500m during that same period.

Arguing that goods exports are “not expanding as fast as they should be”, he noted that while their value had increased from $537.27m in 2019 to $585.904m in 2022 this paled in comparison to The Bahamas’ import bill. Over the same period, this had grown from $3.321bn to $3.84bn, resulting in last year’s five-year high trade deficit of $3.254bn that is imposing increasing pressure on tourism, especially, to generate the foreign currency earnings to cover the shortfall.

“Last year we seemed to return to pre-COVID levels for our national trade,” Mr Galanis told this newspaper. “Last year, we generated $50m more in exports. We are not exporting as fast as we should be growing, and that’s significantly impacting the trade deficit.

“What’s also interesting is that the imports went from $3.3bn to $3.8bm, which is a ten-fold greater increase compared to exports. It’s a bit concerning. We are importing at a very high level, much higher than exports, and that’s of particular concern to us at the Trade Commission.” With import growth outstripping that for exports, the result is a widening trade deficit that places increasing pressure on The Bahamas to generate the foreign currency earnings to finance it.

The Bahamas has traditionally funded its multi-billion dollar trade deficits, which capture just physical goods, with its capital account surplus generated by foreign currency earnings from its services exports - chiefly tourism and financial services. Widening trade deficits mean greater pressure on these income sources to finance the country’s import bill given that it sources virtually all it consumes from overseas.

“That’s precisely what the result is,” Mr Galanis told Tribune Business. “We are sending $3.8bn out of the country to cover our import bill, and that puts a lot of

pressure on tourism and financial services to generate the reserves to defray that cost.

“We have to pay our bills somehow. It has to come from the domestic economy or borrowing, and we don’t want it to come from borrowing. We hope to fine tune and manage the economy in such a way as to reduce the impact it’s having on trade and the foreign reserves.

“There’s a direct correlation: One-one. We have to find US dollars to pay for imports. We really want to get off this treadmill of continuously seeing incremental increases in our trade deficit. We want to see that number come down. It came down in 2020, but that’s a direct effect of COVID. We want to see exports increase concurrently or at a greater rate than imports. That’s the only way we’ll reduce the trade deficit.”

Confirming that the Davis administration’s Cabinet has approved the National Trade Policy, which will be released later this month or in early June, Mr Galanis said there were four key elements or cornerstones to the strategy. “The National Trade Policy will be launched officially in the next few weeks. There are four essential components,” he

added.

The Trade Commission chair identified these as “managing” The Bahamas’ level of imports; more rapid export growth “which we certainly have not been doing over the past five years”; diversification of exports beyond traditional areas, such as spiny lobster and Polymers International, to get more economic sectors contributing and grow exports that way; and strengthening the Bahamian economy’s competitiveness.

“The National Trade Policy has been approved by the Cabinet and I think it will be officially launched by the minister [Michael Halkitis] and the Trade Commission in the next three weeks,” Mr Galanis reiterated. “I think it’s well thought-out. A lot of thought went into it, and a lot of time and energy and resources went into developing it. I think it’s coherent and creates a lot more opportunities for us to focus on trade than in the past.” While global inflation and higher oil prices will have been at least partially responsible for The Bahamas’ expanded 2022 trade deficit, Mr Galanis said this nation needed to first focus on import substitution possibilities to narrow the ‘red ink’ and increase exports. He identified agriculture

and fisheries (mariculture) as two sectors where this could be achieved.

Noting that The Bahamas imported $9m worth of goods from Jamaica in 2022, and $14m from Trinidad & Tobago, he suggested that this nation start by exploring whether such products can be made locally. “What’s the amount of goods we can substitute by producing in The Bahamas?” he queried.

“Every dollar we are able to save by producing domestically is a dollar less that we have to send out the country to cover our bills and expand the trade deficit.” The Bahamas’ trade deficit expanded by $314.6m or 10.7 percent during 2022 to hit a five-year high of $3.254bn, as inflation and higher global oil prices caused import costs to soar.

The Bahamas National Statistical Institute, unveiling the annual 2022 foreign trade statistics review, said: “The balance of trade (total exports minus total imports) continued to result in a deficit. The trade deficit increased by 10.7 percent between 2021 and 2022, resulting in a negative balance of $3.3bn.”

While Bahamian exports increased year-over-year by

$42.6m or 7.8 percent, growing to $586m from $543.4m in 2021, these figures were not surprisingly dwarfed by imports given that The Bahamas brings in virtually everything it consumes. As a result, imports leapt by $357.1m or 10.3 percent to a new five-year high of $3.84bn as opposed to $3.483bn the year before.

The $3.84bn represents foreign exchange that The Bahamas has to generate through a surplus on its capital account, representing monies earned by services exporters such as tourism and financial services, to fund those imports. Between 2018 and 2022, the trade deficit peaked at just shy of $3bn in 2018, with imports reaching a pre-2023 high of $3.524bn that year.

“Data on merchandise trade for the year 2022 show that the value of commodities imported into The Bahamas totaled $3.8bn, resulting in an increase of 10.3 percent between 2021-2022,” the 2022 trade report said.

“The category of ‘food and live animals, which totalled $690.4m accounted for 18 percent of the imports in 2022. This category had an increase of 7.7 percent from 2021 which totalled $690.4m. This was followed by ‘mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials’ totalling some $686.2m (17.9 percent of all imports) for 2022.

“Other major categories that contributed to imports were the categories of ‘machinery and transport equipment’, which totalled $684.6m representing 17.8 percent of total imports; ‘miscellaneous manufactured articles’, which accounted for 13.6 percent with a total of $520.4m; and ‘manufactured goods’, which totalled $517.3m, also representing 13.5 percent of all imports for 2022.” (Tribune242)

Caribbean heat season warms up and may be hotter than usual

It has been a hot couple of months for many Caribbean islands with no end in sight to the excessive heat.

According to the Barbadosbased Caribbean Climate Outlook Forum (CariCOF) in its heat outlook for May to October 2023, excessive heat can be expected, especially in August and September.

The heat outlook forecast notes May to July, marking the first half

of the Caribbean Heat Season (April/May to October) may well be hotter than usual for most.

Intense night-time and daytime heat is expected in much of the Caribbean from August to September/October, marking the peak of the Heat Season.

The implications of the Heat Season:

Frequent and possibly intense episodes of heat stress in the vulnerable population and

small livestock because of high temperature and increasing humidity from May through September.

Cooling needs rising sharply towards August and September.

Over in St Maarten, the Meteorological Department in its seasonal outlook for May to July 2023 states models are indicating that rainfall totals for the season May-June-July 2023 are likely to be near the normal range in St Maarten and the rest of the

Caribbean.

The normal rainfall for MayJune-July season on St Maarten ranges 167mm–295mm /7-12 inches, with 28 to 36 wet days. May to June the region transitions to the wet season where rainfall may be more frequent while in July there is often a summer dry spell.

The forecast is for up to 5 (7-day) wet spells, up to 3 very wet spells and about 5 (7-day) dry spells on St Maarten during this season.

The Bahamas Trade Commission called the import rise “particularly concerning”

World News

US debt ceiling: Biden and Republicans hopeful of a deal

President Joe Biden and Republican leaders have expressed cautious optimism that a deal to raise the US debt ceiling is within reach, following emergency talks at the White House.

But House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy told reporters the two sides are still far apart.

The standoff has forced Mr Biden to cut short a foreign trip.

Without a deal, the US could enter a calamitous default on its $31.4tr (£25tr) debt as soon as 1 June.

A failure by the US government to meet its debt obligations could trigger global financial chaos.

The Democratic president said Tuesday’s hour-long Oval Office meeting was “good, productive”, sounding upbeat about the prospects of an agreement.

Mr McCarthy said afterwards he believed a deal was possible by the end of this week.

Asked about the risk of the US falling off a fiscal cliff, the California congressman told BBC News: “The great thing about that question is we’ve already taken default off the table.”

He also told reporters a Bidenappointed representative would

negotiate directly with his staff, which he said was a sign that “the structure of how we negotiate has improved”.

A number of senior Democrats were at the talks, including VicePresident Kamala Harris, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

In exchange for support for raising the debt ceiling, Republican leaders are demanding budget cuts. They also want tougher work requirements on government aid recipients.

Citing sources familiar with the talks, the Associated Press news agency reports that this idea was “resoundingly” rejected by House Democrats at another meeting earlier on Tuesday.

Mr Biden has repeatedly said that a potential debt default and budgetary issues should be separate.

The president is due to fly to the G7 summit in Japan on Wednesday. He was then expected to head to Papua New Guinea and Australia for further meetings.

But he will now return after the 19-21 May summit ends in Hiroshima to “ensure that Congress takes action” to avert a default, the

A failure by the US government to meet its debt obligations could trigger global financial chaos

White House said in a statement.

The so-called Quad meeting in Sydney has now been cancelled, and the leaders will attempt to meet on the sidelines of the G7, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.

Reaching the debt ceiling would mean the US government is unable to borrow any more money.

This means the government would no longer be able to pay the salaries of federal and military employees. Social Security cheques - payments that millions of pensioners in the US rely onwould stop.

Every so often the US Congress votes to raise or suspend the ceiling so it can borrow more.

A default - which would be a first in US history - could shatter trust in America’s political ability to pay its bills.

Experts have warned it could

also see the US spiral into recession and trigger a rise in unemployment.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said at an event on Tuesday that “a US default would generate an economic and financial catastrophe”.

Meanwhile, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said: “There’s countries like Russia and China that would love nothing more than for us to default.”

A deal to avoid this scenario has so far proven elusive. In April, Republicans proposed an agreement that would suspend the debt limit by $1.5tn or until 31 March, whichever comes first.

In exchange, they would maintain spending at key government agencies at 2022 levels for the next financial year and limit spending growth to 1%

annually over the next 10 years.

They argued this would lead to $4.8tn in savings.

The proposal, however, would scupper several of Mr Biden’s legislative priorities, including student loan forgiveness.

The last time the US was approaching a default, back in 2011, lawmakers struck a deal hours before the deadline.

That standoff led to a downgrade in the US credit rating, sent the stock market plummeting and increased the government’s borrowing costs.

“Nobody should use default as a hostage,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said at the US Capitol on Tuesday. “The consequences would be devastating for America.”

The US debt ceiling has been raised, extended or revised 78 times since 1960. (BBC)

There is a risk Parliament could be destroyed by a “catastrophic incident” before repair works are carried out, a group of MPs has warned.

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said there was a “critical need” to restore the building.

Up to £2m a week is being spent on repairs but there is still a growing list of health and safety incidents, some involving asbestos.

The government has two months to respond to the PAC recommendations.

The committee said the clerks of Parliament “finally seem to

acknowledge publicly the enormity of this task, for which they are now personally accountable”.

However, it said progress had been painfully slow with “years of procrastination” and that the focus has been on MPs rather than the thousands of staff and visitors who use the building.

Labour MP Dame Meg Hillier, who chairs the committee, said: “There are already people on decades-long risk watchlists after being exposed to asbestos in the building; a building that’s leaking, dropping masonry and at constant risk of fire.”

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) said there was a “critical need” to restore the building

UK: Parliament may be destroyed by ‘catastrophic’ event, MPs warn

World News

DeSantis limits trans treatments, drag shows, pronoun use in Florida

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has signed bills banning children from undergoing transgender medical treatments or going to drag shows, and restricting pronoun use in classrooms.

Public bathrooms and changing rooms must also be separate “based on biological sex” under the legislation.

He said the laws would make the state a “refuge of sanity”. Critics called the measures “mean spirited”.

The Republican governor is expected to enter the 2024 White House race soon.

Hundreds of similar regulations on LGBT issues have been proposed in conservative-run states across the US.

But Mr DeSantis’ prospects as a presidential contender have turned all eyes on the Sunshine State.

He is widely expected to declare his candidacy as soon as next week.

“We need to let our kids just be kids,” Mr DeSantis said as he signed the five bills on Wednesday at the evangelical Cambridge Christian School in Tampa.

“What we’ve said in Florida is we are going to remain a refuge of sanity and a citadel of normalcy.”

The legislation bans transgender-identifying children from accessing such treatments as puberty blockers or hormone

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is expected to run for president

therapy.

While the laws are dubbed the Let Kids Be Kids package, one measure also places new restrictions on adults seeking transgender medical treatment.

Such patients must now obtain written consent on a form adopted by two oversight boards whose members are appointed by the governor.

Another of the laws bans school employees from telling students their preferred pronouns, or asking students about their preferred pronouns.

Mr DeSantis said: “We never did this through all of human history until like two weeks ago. They’re having third graders declare pronouns? We’re not doing the pronoun Olympics in Florida.”

The governor also signed into law a bill requiring all bathrooms or locker rooms at public facilitiesfrom schools to prisons - to be used exclusively for men and women “based on their biological sex”.

Another of the laws, titled Protecting Children’s Innocence, grants the state the power to strip businesses of their licences if

they allow children into “adult live performances”, such as drag shows.

Transgender medical treatments are endorsed by major medical associations as appropriate and even life-saving care for people diagnosed with gender dysphoria.

The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) said the Florida bills would have “a chilling effect on the medical community by inserting politics into healthcare”.

But many conservatives and some detransitioners - those who

stop or seek to reverse a gender transition - have spoken out against the prevailing medical consensus, labelling such procedures as child abuse or chemical castration.

Democrats lashed out at the legislation in Florida.

“Every other parent has the right to raise their child the way that they want to as long as your child is not gay, trans, bisexual,” Democratic state Senator Shevrin Jones, who is gay, told the Associated Press news agency.

“That’s freedom for some parents but not for all parents.”

Another Democratic state Senator, Victor Torres, said the bills were “mean spirited, unnecessary”. As governor, Mr DeSantis has waded into America’s culture wars, signing bills banning teaching on gender identity in public schools, restricting abortion access, protecting gun rights and railing against “woke indoctrination” in the classroom.

Former President Donald Trump is currently leading in the race for next year’s Republican presidential nomination, with Mr DeSantis in second spot more than 36 points behind, according to the Real Clear Politics opinion polling average.

The winner will challenge President Joe Biden, a Democrat, in the election of November 2024. (BBC)

A US airman suspected of leaking classified files was warned repeatedly about his handling of classified information, prosecutors say.

In a court filing, US prosecutors argued Jack Teixeira should remain in detention because of his “wilful disregard” for protecting information.

He allegedly leaked files even after he was warned by his superiors on two separate occasions last year.

The 21-year-old has been in custody since the FBI arrested him on 14 April.

He was charged with the unauthorised transmission and retention of defence materials after dozens of classified files appeared in the online chat room Discord. They included sensitive information about US allies and

the war in Ukraine.

A judge will soon decide whether he should remain in detention until his trial and is expected to hear arguments on Friday.

The court filing from justice department prosecutors on Wednesday alleged Mr Teixeira’s superiors had flagged “concerning actions” around Mr Teixeira’s handling of classified information.

It said that on one occasion he was seen taking notes and putting them in his pocket. His superiors then asked him to stop taking notes in any form on classified information, prosecutors said.

A month later, Mr Teixeira’s bosses discovered he was “potentially ignoring a cease-anddesist order on deep diving into intelligence” after he went to a classified briefing and posed “very

Jack Teixeira, 21, was arrested by the FBI and has been in custody since 14 April

specific questions” about what was discussed. They told him to stop and “focus on his job”, the court filing said.

Then, in February 2023, after someone saw the airman viewing intelligence information that was “not related to his primary duty”, Mr Teixeira’s supervisors were notified, according to the court document. It is unclear if he was disciplined.

Prosecutors have argued Mr Teixeira should not be released on bail because he poses a threat

to national security, while defence lawyers argue he should be released with restrictions.

Prosecutors claim the airman has bragged to people online about violating rules on classified information. They say he acknowledged in December that he was “breaking a ton of UD regs”, a reference to unauthorised disclosure, but said, he did not care “what they say I can or can’t share”.

Prosecutors say the posts make clear that Mr Teixeira “simply did not care” what the government

or his superiors told him and that he would not listen to a court’s instructions either.

Mr Teixeira’s defence lawyer said he should be free to stay in his home in the presence of either relatives, Air Force personnel, or lawyers.

He denied his client posed a serious flight risk, and said suggestions by prosecutors that foreign adversaries would seek to take advantage of Mr Teixeira’s release were rooted in “speculation”. (BBC)

Suspected Pentagon leaker was warned multiple times, prosecutors say

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

CONTACT: 342-2511

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

Salary: $8.00 Hourly

CONTACT: 232-226700

DOMESTIC WORKER/ CAREGIVER

Cleaning the house, laundering sheets, towels and personal clothing and other housework. Days worked: 5-1/2 days per week

Salary: $8.00 hourly

CONTACT: 649-331-8376

BELONGERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY

5 CLEANERS

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

Salary: $8.00 Hourly

CONTACT: 344-4801

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: 341-1406

BELONGERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY TO THE LABOUR BOARD RENEWAL

Must have a vehicle and driver’s license. Work weekends and when needed.

Performing yard work and heavy lifting. 8 hours a day.

$9 per hour.

$400.00 per week

649-332-6161

• Must have extensive knowledge of boats and the local waterways. High level of luxury service. Experience in detailing and maintenance, yacht background a huge plus.

• Drivers license and own car required.

• Working weekdays and weekends

• Salary: $20 hourly

CONTACT: INFO@BLUEHAVEN.TC

CAICOS EXPRESS AIRWAYS

AIRCRAFT MECHANIC

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Scheduling and overseeing routine maintenance checks. Implementing and adhering to strict safety guidelines. Creating and maintaining repair logs and records. Using hand tools, diagnostic tests, and gauges to identify hydraulic and mechanical malfunctions. Collaborating with TEL: 941-5730

engineers and system mechanics to ensure that all aircraft systems are running correctly. Preparing diagnostics reports and suggesting repair solutions based on thorough evaluations. Ensuring that all aircraft parts are accurately labeled, organized, and restored.

2

HOUSEKEEPERS FRONT OFFICE MANAGER

• Knowledge of food costing and controls, monthly inventory,

• Ability to understand menus follow recipes, basic sauces/ butchery.

• High level of food hygiene is required.

Salary: $8 Per Hour

Prep food for Breakfast/lunch / FOR MORE INFORMATION ON JOB DESCRIPTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT INFO@PELICANBAYTCI.COM OR 431-1689 PLEASE CALL FOR AN APPOINTMENT, BRING ALONG YOUR RESUME AND RESIDENT STATUS THIS IS FOR A WORK PERMIT RENEWAL LINE/COOK Is Seeking for dinner

SHA

• Able to drive and assist with guests luggage if needed

• Able to lift and move heavy items

• Work 6 days per week (holidays and weekends)

RENT A BUGGY 36570

NCS FINANCIAL SERVICES GROUP

Is

Seeking to employ an

Identify service cost via system portal; Make frequent presentations to Filipino groups to develop knowledge and awareness of company products and services. Assist monitoring branch cashiers for service efficiency, provide coverage and training. Must work rotated daily shift including weekends and public holidays, between 7:00 am & 7:00 pm at all branches in TCI.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Minimum of 5 years’ experience in a financial institution;

APPLY VIA EMAIL TO: THE CEO, NATIONAL COMPANY SERVICES, BUTTERFIELD SQUARE, PROVIDENCIALES

TCI - HR@NCSFSG.COM BY MAY 29, 2023. SUITABLE CANDIDATES WILL BE CONTACTED FOR AN INTERVIEW. WORK PERMIT HOLDERS CURRENTLY HOLD THIS POSITION

36539

LAYER,

CLEANERS, COOK, MAINTENANCE WORKER.

and working knowledge of imperial and metric measurement. Perform maintenance and minors repairs (replacing broken switches, fixing doors handles, minor leaks, cut and polish rocks, install, measure, cut and shape.

Salaries started @$8-$13 per hr. Work 5-6 days a week.

CONSTRUCTION, MAID TO CLEAN, NEWTECH CONSTRUCTION, SIESTA 36475

CONTACT: 231-6858

In search of a skilled person to work in stone fabrication. Starting Salary $8.00 per hour.

• Searching for a person skilled at a wide range of repairs including trade skills, repair work, maintenance work, both interior and exterior.

and can follow directions

PLEASE EMAIL RESUMES TO ACCOUNTS@TCIMARBLEANDGRANITE.COM POSITION IS BEING ADVERTISE FOR A WORK PERMIT HOLDER. APPLICATIONS FOR QUALIFIED TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDERS WILL BE ACCEPTED. HANDYMAN Industrial Park Is Seeking to employ a

TCI MARBLE AND GRANITE LTD. 36577

• Must have 5 years’ experience in previous handyman position with references

VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY!! THE LARGEST READERSHIP IN THE TURKS & CAICOS

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

DOMESTIC WORKER

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

CONTACT: 343-6168

LANDSCAPING SOLUTIONS

FARMER LABOURER

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

Salary: $8.00 hourly

CONTACT: (649) 231-6667

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

MIAMI VARIETY STORE

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

South Dock Road Is seeking to employ a MILTON

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

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

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:

CONTACT: (649) 243-6860

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

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

CONTACT: 345-9515

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

M.S CONSTRUCTION

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

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

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

DOMESTIC WORKER

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

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

SALARY: $8.00 per hour

Prince Harry and Meghan say New York City car chase was relentless

Prince Harry, Meghan and her mother were involved in a “near catastrophic car chase” involving paparazzi, a spokesperson for the couple claimed.

The incident happened after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended an awards ceremony in New York on Tuesday.

In a statement, their spokesperson said the “relentless pursuit” lasted for more than two hours and resulted in “multiple near collisions”.

The New York Police Department (NYPD) said there were no arrests or injuries.

BBC News has not been able to independently verify all the details. But accounts and information developed throughout the day on Wednesday.

The NYPD confirmed an incident took place involving Harry and Meghan and said

numerous photographers “made their transport challenging”. No injuries or arrests were reported, the police said. Buckingham Palace has not yet commented.

Entertainment picture agency Backgrid issued a statement saying it was investigating the conduct of several freelance photographers, but that their initial account of events differed to that of the

Sussexes.

“The photographers have reported feeling that the couple was not in immediate danger at any point,” it said.

It followed claims the chase involved half a dozen cars, with reckless driving including going through red lights, driving on the pavement, carrying out blocking moves, and reversing down a one-way street - as well as taking photographs while driving.

BBC News understands Harry and Meghan were staying at a friend’s home, and did not return directly to avoid compromising their security.

The couple and Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, tried to take shelter from the paparazzi by going to a Manhattan police station.

There was then a plan to use a New York taxi, with a yellow cab flagged down and Harry, Meghan, Ms Ragland and a security officer getting inside.

But the vehicle and its occupants were spotted by photographers and they reverted to their own security vehicles.

Cab driver Sukhcharn Singh, who goes by the name Sonny, told BBC News he picked up the four passengers on 67th Street between Lexington Avenue and 3rd Avenue.

“A security guard hailed me, next thing you know Prince Harry and his wife were hopping into my cab,” he said.

“As we went a block, we got blocked by a garbage truck and all of a sudden paparazzi came and started taking pictures. They were just about to give me the location

of where they were going to go, but then they told me to circle back to the precinct.”

He said they were “nice people” who “looked nervous”.

He thought claims of a “near catastrophic chase” might have been exaggerated, saying that he did not think the paparazzi were being “aggressive”.

“New York is the safest place to be - there’s police stations, cops on every corner,” he said.

“[The paparazzi] were behind us... they kept their distance.”

The passengers paid $50 (£40) for the short journey, he added. Mr Singh’s account relates to just 10 minutes of what the Sussexes’ spokesperson described as an ordeal lasting more than two hours.

The driver’s assessment stands in contrast to that of Chris Sanchez, a member of the couple’s security detail, who told CNN the scene was “very chaotic” and that photographers at one point blocked the limousine carrying Harry and Meghan.

“The public were in jeopardy at several points,” he said. “It could have been fatal.”

The couple use private security while in the US - but Harry is engaged in a legal battle in London over the use of Metropolitan Police protection while he and his family are in the UK.

The award ceremony they attended - the Ms Foundation Women of Vision Awards - was Harry and Meghan’s first public appearance together since the King Charles’ Coronation earlier this month.

A PRODUCER of “Rust” acknowledged the film’s “unprecedented” circumstances as they try to sell it more than a year after the on-set fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

Producer Ryan Donnell Smith recently arrived at the Cannes Film Festival in France, where “Rust”

is among the approximately 4,000 movies in the marketplace, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

“This is an unprecedented film in regards to the circumstances,” Smith told the entertainment outlet. “We’re trying to keep realistic expectations, but shepherd this in the best way we can.”

Meghan appeared alongside her husband and mother to accept an award at the event in New York City

Alec Baldwin on the“ Rust” film set in New Mexico

‘Rust’ producer talks ‘realistic expectations’ for selling the film after fatal shooting

KITCHEN LABOURER

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Minimum 10 years’ experience in the

• Ability to work line, cook, and prep all types of food.

• Ideal applicants will have experience in high-pressure

situations, with the ability to work independently, and as part of

team. All applicants must be willing to work 7 days a week, including weekends and holidays.

SALARY: $8.00 Hourly

CONTACT: 232-5090/941-5090

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

A & J FASHION

InterHealth Canada Construction & Services is currently recruiting for Key positions within TCI Hospitals. Successful candidates will be offered excellent packages depending on qualifications and experience.

ENGINEERING MANAGER (GRAND TURK & PROVIDENCIALES)

44 hours per week- Candidate must be qualified to Bachelors Degree or equivalent, hold qualifications in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering and be able to work and travel to both Grand Turk & Providenciales Hospital Facilities. Responsible for managing mechanical and electrical engineering teams, and also external contractors. Be responsible for maintaining and implementing planned preventative maintenance, reactive maintenance, lifecycle programs and be experienced in project management. Must be able to deliver highly technical training sessions to a variety of management levels. Fully responsible for budgetary compliance and staff welfare, all due diligence record keeping, documentation, legislative compliance, HR responsibilities and working to HTMs. Additional responsibilities are the oversight of Sub contractors, Role requires comprehensive understanding and producing of SLA's, KPI’s, and tender process. Training responsibility for staff under your direct control. Out of hours 'on-call duties', H&S and Fire Management & Disaster Management responsibilities are also included within post. Must have previous experience of working within a Hospital engineering environment, the role requires a very hands on personnel. Trade test and competency programs will be included at interview stage.

SALARY: $85k full package including benefits

SENIOR ENGINEER MANAGER (CHESHIRE HALL MEDICAL CENTRE, PROVIDENCIALES)

Candidate must be qualified for Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent, and hold qualifications in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Health & Safety Qualification (NEBOSH preferred) & Medical Gas Safety

Departmental head is responsible for the effective daily running of the Engineering Department at Providenciales. Responsible for a team of engineers, grounds maintenance persons and handymen. Ensuring timely completion of work orders, PPM's, reactive tasks and daily operational activity.

Supervises and supports team working on a wide range of engineering plant and equipment (both electrical and mechanical systems).

Ensures that all necessary Health and Safety, finance and planning elements are managed and maintained to ensure operational efficiency and contractual compliance.

Works with Engineering lead at sister site as required, with potential to work across CHMC and CTMC as business requires.

SALARY: $65k full package including benefits.

CATERING MANAGER (PROVIDENCIALES)

Candidates must have extensive experience including Retail and Patient Dietetics and at least 5 years of management experience within a Healthcare or Hospital Environment and will be responsible for all operational aspects of the Catering services at both sites. Responsibilities include development and training of the Team including the development of Trainee Chef Manager and Second Chef and the Service Team. Experience must include HACCP, Human Resources Management, Menu Development and Costing, Quality Compliance, Customer Service, Advanced Food Hygiene, Stock Control and Management, Profit and Loss and Budget Management, Health and Safety and Marketing.

The candidate will also participate in ‘On-Call Management Duties’ for Facilities Services on a rostered basis and in response to site based or National Emergencies.

*Please be aware that Management cover, emergency response and general operational monitoring of the Catering services at Cockburn Town Medical Centre will also be required, facilitating the ability for travel and short term stay in Grand Turk.

SALARY: Starting $65k plus

CHEF MANAGER

(PROVIDENCIALES)

Responsible for operations of daily kitchen, food production, HACCP, due diligence, Catering Budget patient and retail menu compilation and costing and stock management. Also responsible for training and development and management of catering team.

*SALARY: Starting $50k plus

Appointments will be made based on a successful interview, a positive reference check and a clear Police check. *Previous experience is required for all posts.

For full Job Specifications, Qualification Requirements, and Package Details, please contact Ms. Vielka Fulford for further information and queries on Tel: 941-2800 Ext: 71803.

Qualified Belonger’s will be given first consideration. Apply in writing together with an up-to-date curriculum vitae to: vfulford@interhealthcanada.tc.

CLOSING DATE: May 29th 2023 Applications will not be accepted after the closing date.

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

Salary: $8.00 Hourly

DOMESTIC WORKER

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

Salary: $8.00 Hourly

CONTACT: 649-344-3323

BELONGERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY TO THE LABOUR BOARD

CONTACT: 348-5170 36486

DOMESTIC WORKER

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

Salary: $8.00 Hourly

CONTACT: 347-4367

ARE

Basic manicures, artificial nails. Pedicures and the application of acrylic toenails.

Salary: $8.00 hourly

BELONGERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY TO THE LABOUR BOARD RENEWAL

CARPENTER

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

Salary: $10.00 hourly

CONTACT: 242-0424

BELONGERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY TO THE LABOUR BOARD

BABYSITTER/ CARETAKER

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

Salary: $8.00 Hourly

CONTACT: 247-6388

BELONGERS ARE TO APPLY TO THE LABOUR BOARD/RENEWAL

CONTACT: 344-4801 36460

C & S PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

WILLIAMS O.M. BASDEN

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

CONTACT: 243-7192

BELONGERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY TO THE LABOUR BOARD

MAINTENANCE

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

Salary: $9.00 Hourly

CONTACT: 649-332-4317 36489

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

Applicant must be honest, reliable and willing to work. Cleaning of surroundings, yard and trimming of all trees on my property and disposing of all debris.

CONTACT: 242-1304

BABYSITTER

CASTILLO REFRIGERATION

DIANA

BAR

Repairs, maintains and alters buildings, retaining walls and other brick or stone edifices. Mixes mortar; lays bricks and stones and/or concrete sidewalks; makes and repairs steps and plasters.

CONTACT: 649-246-1460

Salary: $8.00

LABOURER

Cleaning

36557 BELONGERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY TO THE LABOUR BOARD

property

Hourly

BAR RESTAURANT

KITCHEN HELPER Millennium Highway, Blue Hills Is seeking to employ a

ISPARKLE

#13 Kishco Plaza, Leeward Highway Is seeking to employ a J & C BEAUTY

Kew Town Is seeking to employ a

COSMETOLOGIST

Blue Hills Is seeking to employ a G STYLE BAR 36179

services. Salary: $8.00 Hourly

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 IJ

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

THE LABOUR BOARD

RENEWAL

36513

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

Salary: $8.00 Hourly

RENEWAL

JEAN CLAUDE LOUIS

CARETAKER Juba Sound Is seeking to employ a JEAN CLAUDE TIERESIAS Blue Hills Is seeking to employ a

Helps patient get dressed, eat & bathe. Complete housekeeping duties. Plan, prepare and monitor meals. Run errands, remind patients of medications.

LABOUR BOARD

WORKER BELONGERS ARE

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

36546

JEAN CONSTRUCTION

LABOURER Blue Hills, Providenciales Is seeking to employ a

BELONGERS ARE

36562

SITE ENGINEER

Plan and supervise a wide range of construction projects from start to finish, experience in managing large scale vertical construction projects is necessary. You will organize and oversee construction the construction team procedures and ensure they are completed in a timely and efficient manner.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Collaborate with, architects etc. to determine the specifications of the project.

• Negotiate contracts with external vendors to reach profitable agreements.

• Determine needed resources (manpower, equipment, and materials) from start to finish with attention to budgetary limitations.

• Plan all construction operations and schedule intermediate phases to ensure deadlines will be met.

• Acquire equipment and material and monitor stocks to timely handle inadequacies.

• Allocate staff with responsibilities

• Supervise the work of all construction team members and give guidance when needed.

• Evaluate progress and prepare detailed progress reports.

• Ensure adherence to all health and safety standards and report issues.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Proven experience as construction project manager, minimum 10 years’ experience managing projects greater then USD $15 MIL.

• In-depth understanding of construction procedures and material and site engineer principles

• Familiarity with quality and health and safety standards

• Good knowledge of MS Office, MS Projects

• Familiarity with construction/ project management software Procore and Blue Beam

• Outstanding communication and negotiation skills

• Excellent organizational and timemanagement skills

• A team player with leadership abilities

Salary: $1500.00/weekly

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

Contact: NORSTAR GROUP LTD., UNIT 2C, COURTYARD PLAZA, PROVIDENCIALES PHONE:(649) 941-3600. EMAIL:PCHAPLIN@NORSTARGROUP.TC

ASSISTANT COOK

Applicant must have a minimum of 5 years’ experience working in luxury resorts, has excellent communication skills, with a focus on providing prompt, efficient and courteous service, be well-groomed; ensure the kitchen is clean & sanitized; has experience working with POS and inventory control systems. Applicant must have experience with Chinese and Western cuisine, preparing food, plating dishes, and maintaining supplies. Willing to work long hours, weekends and holidays. Salary: $8.00 / Hour. Position currently held by work permit holder.

GARDENER

Applicants must hold a Bachelor of Agriculture Technology. Has experience with propagating, planting of all landscape stock, perform regular scheduled maintenance of all flora and fauna, applications of all fertilizers, insecticides, pesticides, trimming, weeding, and pruning; be knowledgeable with all types of local and imported flora and fauna to provide guests with tours of the gardens. Must be proficient in speaking English. Salary: $8.00/hour. Position currently held by work permit holder.

GROUND MAINTENANCE KEEPER

Applicant must be pleasant and have good working comprehension of the English language. Must have a basic understanding of grounds keeping and native vegetation. Performs custodial duties such as sweeping, raking of grounds, garbage removal, and ensure grounds are kept up to resort standards. Willingness to work long hours, evenings, weekends, and holidays. Must have experience working in a luxury resort property. Salary from $8.00/hour. Position currently held by work permit holder.

31 DOWNWIND STREET, PROVIDENCIALES, TEL: (649) 941-3121 COPIES OF RESUMES CAN BE SENT TO EMPLOYMENT SERVICES. BELONGERS NEED ONLY APPLY.

DEADLINES FOR APPLICATIONS: MAY 29TH, 2023

All resumes can be emailed or delivered to:

PEARLS VILLA MANAGEMENT

217 Long Bay Beach Drive, Long Bay, Providenciales

IS LOOKING FOR A

PRIVATE CHEF

JOB SUMMARY:

Must be deft in moving around the kitchen and apt in multitasking. Experience in using various ingredients and cooking techniques is also important. Must be able to create new menus, work independently, available to work seven (7) days a week.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Prepare ingredients to use in cooking.

• Ensure great presentation by dressing dishes before they are served.

• Keep a sanitized and orderly environment in the kitchen.

• Ensure all food and other items are stored properly.

• Check quality of ingredients.

• Grocery shopping for kitchen menu items.

REQUIREMENTS:

• A minimum of six (6) years’ experience in a 5-star restaurant or hotel.

• Hard working with a willingness to work long hours including weekends and holidays.

• Fluent in French and Spanish are essential.

• Proven experience as a Private Chef.

• Knowledge of various cooking procedures and methods.

• Very good communication skills.

• Excellent physical condition and stamina.

• BS degree in culinary science a MUST.

Please note that all applications must be submitted with a valid police record, and copies of all educational certifications. Only suitable candidates will be contacted for an interview.

S ALARY COMMENSURATE WITH EXPERIENCE. INTERESTED APPLICANTS SHOULD SUBMIT THEIR RESUME WITH QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE TO: INFO@ SAUNDERS.TC AND THE TCI EMPLOYMENT SERVICES AND LABOUR DEPARTMENT. The position is currently held by a work permit holder.

SENIOR PROJECT ARCHITECT

POSITION AVAILABLE

Qualified Architect required for the following role:

JOB SUMMARY

• The successful applicant will be expected to undertake the traditional role of a professional Architect.

• This includes detailed architectural design work, planning submissions, preparation of tender documents, construction contract administration, contract cost control and direct liaison with clients, consultants and contractors.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS/ EXPERIENCE

• RIBA/ARB registered Architect or equivalent

• Minimum RIBA Part III, Masters or

equivalent post-Honours degree qualification

• Minimum 5 years professional experience as a Project Architect with direct Client liaison

• Minimum 5 years proven experience in contract administration and cost control on JCT contracts or similar

• Minimum 5 years’ experience managing an architectural team

• A strong background of technical detailing and 3D visualization

• Excellent skills in AutoCAD, Photoshop, Sketch-up, In Design, Excel and Word a pre-requisite

• Working knowledge of Autodesk REVIT an advantage

• Fluent spoken and written English

Salary rated according to experience, $60,000-$75,000 range. Only applicants meeting the minimum requirements listed above will be contacted for interview within 5 days of the closing date.

Interested applicants should contact Mr. C Davies via e-mail by June 02, 2023 with current, detailed CV to info@ coasttci.com or in writing to the address below.

Only suitably qualified Turks & Caicos Islanders need apply. This position is currently held by a work permit holder. Coast Architects, 201w Venture House, Grace Bay Rd, PO Box 941, Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands.

Ability to work without supervision, read blue prints and all area associated in the plumbing field

CONTACT: 242-9857

CONTACT: (649) 247-3321

BELONGERS

LIGHT TRUCK DRIVER

Responsible

Basic

Digging

CONTACT: 346-8874

ELIZABETH SQUARE

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

Salary: $8.00 hourly

CONTACT: 231-0271

BELONGERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY TO THE LABOUR BOARD

IMPERIAL SECURITY

SERVICES

KARIE BAE CAFE

DOMESTIC WORKER

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

Salary: $8.00

CONTACT: 649-343-1665

BELONGERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY TO THE LABOUR BOARD

PRIVATE CHEF

Setting up workstations with all needed ingredients and cooking equipment. Preparing ingredients to use in cooking chopping and peeling vegetables, cutting meat etc. Cooking food in various utensils or grillers.

Salary: $10.00 Hourly

CONTACT: 343-0643

BELONGERS ONLY APPLY/RENEWAL

LABOURER

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

Salary: $8.00 per hr

CONTACT: (649) 344-9853

BELONGERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY TO THE LABOUR BOARD RENEWAL/NEW PERMIT

CLEANER

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

$8.00 hourly

Inspecting and testing vehicles; completing preventive maintenance such as, engine tune-ups, oil changes, tire rotation and changes, wheel balancing, replacing filters. $8.50 Hourly. Renewal

CONTACT: 347-9345

36144

Grand Turk Is seeking to employ a

To be employed at various locations on the island of Grand Turk from 8am-4pm daily

Salary: $8.00 per hour

BELONGERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY TO THE LABOUR BOARD

36536

CONTACT: 245-5459 36504

BELONGERS ARE TO APPLY TO THE LABOUR BOARD. RENEWAL

Salary: $8.00 Hourly COOK Lower Bight Is seeking to employ a KENDRA HALL CONTACT: 231-7242 36573 BELONGERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY TO THE LABOUR BOARD Cleaning the house, laundering sheets, towels and personal clothing and other housework. Salary: $8.25 per hour / 44-hour work week DOMESTIC WORKER Long Bay Is seeking to employ a P & D EMPLOYMENT CHRISTELLE SHOP 36451 BELONGERS ONLY APPLY/RENEWAL Lifting wholesale items. Cleaning and dusting shelves. Salary: $8.00 hourly LABOURER Acting on behalf of CONTACT: 347-5249 Five Cays Is seeking to employ a ANTONY GARLAND CONTACT: 649-332-3207 36481 THIS IS FOR A WORK PERMIT RENEWAL Sweeping the house, Mopping the Floor, Clean Bathrooms, Toilets, Kitchen, Living Room, Laundering Sheets, Towels and Personal Clothing and Other Housework Salary $8 Hourly DOMESTIC WORKER Is seeking to employ a RAYNANDO K. HEAVEN CONTACT: 649-345-5113 36499 BELONGERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY TO THE LABOUR BOARD RENEWAL Cleaning the house, laundering sheets, towels and personal clothing and other housework. Salary: $8.00 Hourly DOMESTIC WORKER Five Cays Is seeking to employ a ROBERTS AGENCY CAICOS ADVENTURES CONTACT: 941-3346 36500 BELONGERS ONLY / RENEWALS Stocking and supplying designated facility areas, dusting, sweeping, mopping, restroom cleaning etc. $8.00 hourly Cleaning the boats and surrounding area. $9.00 hourly DOMESTIC WORKER LABOURER Acting on behalf of F105 Regent Village, Grace Bay Road Is seeking to employ a R.T. CONSTRUCTION SERVICES CONTACT: 341-9013 36503 BELONGERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY TO THE LABOUR BOARD Cleaning outside the property with sweeper, pick up yard waste and collect leaves, dispose of trash, clean windows, and doorframes. Salary: $8.00 Hourly LABOURER Blue Hills Is seeking to employ a

GEORGE GLINTON

DOMESTIC WORKER

LABOURER

BABYSITTER

STORE ATTENDANT

DOMESTIC WORKER

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

$8.00 Hourly

CONTACT: 344-3710

NATURESCAPE

LABOURER

CONTACT: 242-4108

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: 649-343-7291

CONTACT: 342-2951

SERVICE ADVISOR/CONCIERGE CLERK

JOB DESCRIPTION

Learn about the key requirements, duties, responsibilities, and skills that should be in a service advisor job description.

The service advisor communicates with appointments customer and Concierge customers to determine their vehicles problems and the repair timeline and provides the technicians with accurate repair descriptions about the customers’ concerns. Also, to ensure our Concierge customers’ vehicles are delivered on time to the airport upon their arrival.

• Greeting customers when coming to our service department.

• Consulting with mechanics regarding necessary repairs and possible alternatives to expensive repairs.

• Using your knowledge of our products and services to sett or provide indepth information about avai\able parts and service options to customers.

• Answering questions about service outcomes and scheduling and booking appointments, vehicle drop- off, and vehicle pick-up.

• Providing customers with information and advice on warranty protections, potential cost savings, and the advantages of trading in versus fixing their car.

• Calling customers to advise them about service changes or car pick-up times.

• Maintaining positive customer relationships to ensure repeat business.

• Ensuring all details on services rendered and costs are related to customers and processing their payments.

• Liaising with service technicians about parts ordering and ensuring parts are available when needed.

SERVICE ADVISOR REQUIREMENTS:

• An associate degree in mechanics or a related field may be advantageous.

• Experience in the automotive field may be advantageous.

• A strong understanding of automotive technology and the automotive industry.

• Proficiency with industry-specific software.

• Excellent customer service, interpersonal, and communication skills.

• Strong organizational, decision making, and problem- solving skills.

• The ability to communicate with mechanics, customers, and management. Salary: $2,550.00 Monthly

BELONGERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY TO THE LABOUR BOARD CONTACT: 649-441-8515 EMAIL: FRANTZ@GRACEBAYCARRENTALS.COM

DOMESTIC WORKER

Mixes mortar; lays bricks and stones and/ or concrete sidewalks; makes and repairs steps and plasters.$9.00 hourly

CONTACT:

ASSISTANT CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Reporting to the site manager or other senior project managers as required.

• Ensuring that requirements, as specified by the client and senior management, are met.

• Monitoring labor, building material, and equipment budgets and curbing unnecessary expenses.

• Supervising on-site construction work and relaying instructions from senior project managers.

• Reporting any concerns that might negatively impact projected cost and time estimates.

• Procuring materials, labor, and equipment, as well as third-party subcontractors and suppliers.

• Preparing work schedules and sequencing onsite tasks.

• Collaborating with other construction project stakeholders as required.

• Ensuring that construction industry safety regulations are followed.

Assistant Site Manager REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s degree in construction management, civil engineering, project management, or similar.

• 5 years’ experience in assisting site managers with construction projects.

• Exceptional ability to monitor construction project budgets and deadlines.

• Experience in relaying detailed instructions to onsite construction teams.

• Advanced negotiation skills to procure cost-effective subcontractors and suppliers.

• Ability to closely collaborate with other construction project stakeholders.

• Extensive experience in a deadline-driven environment.

• Knowledge of construction industry safety regulations.

• Excellent communication skills.

• Excellent English written and Spoken

• Ability to perform different tasks without supervision

• Good IT knowledge

• Problem solving Skills

• Knowledge of minimum of French

• Ability to work long hours and weekends

Salary 500$-750$ weekly.

HELP WANTED

22 Cooper Jack Bay Rd, Industrial Park, Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands BWI, is looking to fill the following positions:

LABOURERS

• Clean metal works

• Miscellaneous painting

• Clean and maintain a clean shop, machines, equipment, and any incoming jobs.

• Operate specific equipment in a safe and efficient way per supervisor’s instruction.

• Able to operate power and hand tools.

• Provide manual labor assistance on various tasks and assignments.

Wage starts at $8.00 per hr.

MECHANIC

• Must be able to diagnose mechanic related problems.

• Must have theoretical knowledge and practical experience of complete brakes, gasoline and diesel engines, automatic and manual transmissions, steering and suspension components, exhaust and basic electrical.

• Maintain company vehicles, equipment, various machinery & make necessary repairs.

• Have experience in welding and performing welding tasks.

• Must have a valid trade specific certification with at least 5 years’ working experience.

Wage: $10.00 per hr.

INDUSTRIAL PAINTER

• Work with various hazardous coatings including epoxies, urethanes, solvents

• Safely apply hazardous coatings and storage

• Utilize/assemble, maintain, and clean a variety of painting materials, tools, and equipment including compressors, sprayers, sanders, and cleaning equipment

• Experienced with CARC coating and HVLP guns

• Estimate time, materials, and equipment required for jobs assigned

• Understand painting climates

Wage: $10.00 per hr.

PAINTER HELPER

• Assist Lead Painter in performing painting and sand blasting tasks.

• Cleans work pieces to remove impurities, such as slag, rust and grease using hand tools such as wire brush, portable grinder, hand scraper or chemical solutions to ensure smooth surface.

• Maintain good knowledge of painting techniques and processes.

Wage starts at: $8.00 per hr.

MECHANIC HELPER

• Assist Lead Mechanic in performing repairs on vehicles, equipment & other repairs.

• Must have theoretical knowledge and practical experience of complete brakes, gasoline and diesel engines, automatic and manual transmissions, steering and suspension components, exhaust and basic electrical.

• Maintain company vehicles, equipment, various machinery & make necessary repairs.

• Have experience in welding and performing welding tasks.

Wage starts at: $8.00 per hr.

MANUFACTURING COST SPECAILIST

• Works with operations, front office, and back office to achieve success by increasing productivity, reducing costs, and improving processes. Focuses on identifying and removing process inefficiencies using key continuous

improvement tools and a defined methodology for solving problems down to root cause.

• Conducts, facilitates, and manages ongoing facility gap assessments and process improvement using lean six sigma projects through the diffusion of a mindset geared towards continuous improvement efforts

• Assists in preparing job costing plans, records, analysis, and reporting

• Improves inventory workflows and assists in setting advanced inventory management system

SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in manufacturing engineering, business, or a related field

• Lean Six Sigma certification

• Previously worked in senior positions in machine shop, manufacturing, or fabrication industry

• Strong oral and written communication, Microsoft Office, interpersonal, presentation and organization skills

Wage $500 per week

MOULD MAKERS/ MACHINISTS

• Set up and operate a variety of machine tools to produce precision parts and instruments.

• Includes precision instrument makers who fabricate, modify, or repair mechanical instruments.

• Fabricate and modify parts to make or repair machine tools or maintain industrial machines, applying knowledge of mechanics, shop mathematics, metal properties, layout, and machining procedures.

• Study sample parts, blueprints, drawings, and engineering information to determine methods and sequences of operations needed to fabricate products and determine product dimensions and tolerances.

• Remain in a standing position for extended periods of time.

• Must have a valid trade specific certification with at least 5 years’ working experience.

Wage: $10 per hr.

WELDER HELPERS

• Assist lead welders in performing welding, brazing, thermal, and arc cutting operations.

• Oversee the scheduled maintenance of welding and fitting equipment to ensure they are operational.

• Cleans work pieces to remove impurities, such as slag, rust and grease using hand tools such as wire brush, portable grinder, hand scraper or chemical solutions to ensure smooth surface.

• Connect hand torches to fuel gas cylinders or electric power source.

• Maintain good knowledge of welding techniques and processes

• Read and interpret blueprints for a welding project.

• Experienced in SMAW / GMAW / GTAW & oxy-fuel welding / cutting

• Must have a valid trade specific certification

Wage starts at: $8.00 per hr.

CERTIFIED WELDERS

• Lay out, fit, and fabricate metal components to assemble structural forms using knowledge of welding techniques, metallurgy, and engineering components.

• Operates drill presses, power saws, grinders, metal lathes and a variety of welding equipment and hand tools.

• Analyze sample parts, blueprints, engineering drawings and specifications to plan welding operations.

• Remain in a standing position for extended periods of time.

• Experienced in SMAW / GMAW / GTAW & oxy-fuel welding / cutting.

• Must have a valid trade specific certification with at least 5 years working experience.

Wage starts at: $9.00 per hr.

TIBOR’S MACHINE SHOP LTD.

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

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

• Must have a clean police record

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

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

BELONGERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY TO THE LABOUR BOARD RENEWAL

CONTACT: 342-9955/342-4472 36413

VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY!!

LEGALLY QUALIFIED ASSISTANT (PARALEGAL)

GRIFFITHS & PARTNERS IS LOOKING FOR A LEGALLY QUALIFIED ASSISTANT.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• 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

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

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

MASON

$12.50

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

DOMESTIC WORKER

CONTACT: (649) 231-0098

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

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

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

Skilled in Laying blocks, bricks, stones and concrete.

Basic salary: $8.00 hourly

CONTACT: 649-346-4030

CONTACT: 946-8877

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

LABOURER

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

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

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

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.

36348

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

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.

•

$ 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

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.

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.

36193

ISLAND FIRE SUPPLIES LTD.

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.

Salary:

CONTACT:

SHELL KING 36420 BELONGERS ONLY APPLY/RENEWAL 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.

BELONGERS

The Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority is accepting applications for the following position:

348-3812 36418

BELONGERS

BELONGER

36521

DOMESTIC WORKER

CONTACT: 242-5462

THE

Washes dishes and keeps kitchen area clean Salary: $8.00 Hourly

JOB TITLE:

FIRE SERVICE MANAGER

JOB LOCATION: Providenciales

REPORTS TO: Deputy CEO - Operations

JOB PURPOSE:

The Fire Services Manager is required to deliver and maintain compliant and operational rescue and firefighting services at all Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority airports in accordance with OTARs 140 and 139. In addition, the Fire Services Manager leads the airport emergency services, including developing and implementing emergency procedures per regulatory and operational requirements to ensure continuity and operational readiness across the Airports.

MAIN DUTIES:

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Ensure RFFS within the Turks and Caicos Islands Airports Authority complies with OTARS 140 and 139.

• Develop and implement the Fire department plans by establishing goals, objectives, and strategies.

• Take the lead in organizing and assuming command of firefighting and related emergency activities.

• Develop and maintain training programs in accordance with CAP 699

• Assist the Safety Department with planning and coordinating emergency exercises as required by OTARs 139

• Ensure all stations have sufficient competent personnel and that they remain competent.

• Direct the operation, maintenance, control, and repair of all firefighting equipment while maintaining accurate records.

• Ensure all stations are audited regularly for compliance with all regulations and requirements

• Develop and manage the annual budget plan.

• Foster and maintain a positive work atmosphere.

• Develop, review, and implement all firefighting policies and procedures in accordance with the regulations.

• Recruit, train, and direct the firefighters’ activities to remain compliant in their certification.

• Assist with the management and maintenance of the emergency response plan and the mitigation plan for all TCIAA airports.

• Inspect firefighting equipment to ensure the appropriate equipment is available, tested, and maintained.

• Recognize airside hazards and provide feedback to minimize risk.

• Deliver Terminal evacuation briefings to airport staff.

• Mobilize, deploy, and lead the TCIAA airports emergency teams in case of emergencies.

• Develop and implement RFFS training manuals.

• Conduct appraisals of designated staff in compliance with company appraisal guidelines.

• Be prepared to manage projects when directed by executive Management.

• When designated, perform the duties of Deputy Chief Executive Officer- Operations

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND QUALIFICATIONS:

• Degree or Equivalent in Fire Services Management, Fire Science, or related field.

• Leadership and decision-making skills.

• Analytical and problem-solving skills.

• Knowledge and experience in handling airport emergencies and full-scale exercises at operational and tactical levels

• Practical verbal, listening, and communication skills, including preparing reports.

• Time Management.

• Experience managing medium to large workforce in an aviation environment or other field or discipline is an added value and favorable to the role.

• Knowledgeable and aware of airport operations policies and procedures.

SALARY: $64,000.00 per annum

SALARY Grade: 8.1

Qualified candidates should submit their Resume via email on or before June 15th, 2023.

TO: THE HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGER TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS AIRPORTS AUTHORITY PROVIDENCIALES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT HRRECRUITMENT@TCIAIRPORTS.TC

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.

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.

KITCHEN HELPER

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

CONTACT:

BELONGERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO SEND A COPY OF THEIR RESUME TO THE

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 2nd June 2023, and any notice requiring the holding of an enquiry in public for the purpose of determining the application must be received on or before the 16th June 2023.

Particulars of application to operate scheduled air service

1. Applicant Ambergris Cay Aviation LTD

2. Route applied for Turks and Caicos Islands, Caribbean Region, and USA

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 Daily operations

8. Provisional timetable As per the demand

9. Type of aircraft Cessna 208 (12 seats), Piper Navajo (8 seats)

Signed ......................................................................... Secretary Air Transport Licensing Authority

Date: 17.5. 2023

FORM 2-A

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 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 2nd June 2023, and any notice requiring the holding of an enquiry in public for the purpose of determining the application must be received on or before the 16th June 2023.

Particulars of application to operate scheduled air service

1. Applicant Ambergris Cay Aviation LTD

2. Route applied for Turks and Caicos Islands, Caribbean Region, and USA

3. Purposes of services (passenger, freight, mails) Passenger, freight, 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 Daily operations

8. Provisional timetable As per the demand

9. Type of aircraft Cessna 208 (12 seats), Piper Navajo (8 seats)

Signed ............................................................................

Secretary Air Transport Licensing Authority

Date: 17.5.2023

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.

AS THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE CONTINUES TO IMPLEMENT THE REVISED ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, THE FOLLOWING VACANCY IS NOW AVAILABLE.

v

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.

• Must have great wines and cocktails knowledge.

• Must have at least 10 years of experience in fine dining for food paring.

• Must be able to train the waiters and bartenders.

• Require working nights, holidays, split shift, and closings, up to 6 days per week.

Salary: $11.00 Hourly

• Must work nights, holidays, split shift, 6 days per week.

• Good experience in fine dining.

• Good knowledge of general cooking, sautéed, pasta grill station

• Meat-seafood butchery.

• Good knowledge of Italian and Mediterranean Cuisine.

Salary $14.00 Hourly

• Cleaning and washing floors, equipment, and furniture.

• Washing pots, pans, tools, china and silverware.

• Require working nights, holidays, split shift, and closings, up to 6 days per week.

Salary $8.00 Hourly

QUIDNI CONSULTING LTD is seeking a

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

QUALIFIED CANDIDATES ARE ENCOURAGED TO SEND A COPY OF A RESUME TO JOB20223@QUIDNI.GROUP ALONG WITH A COVER LETTER AND REFERENCES.

Science & Technology

Size of a Jurassic sea giant found due to fossil discovery, study says

THE chance discovery of large fossil specimens in a museum drawer have led researchers to conclude there was a gigantic marine reptile called a pliosaur swimming the seas 152 million years ago, according to a recent study.

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.

The findings from the Late Jurassic period, though fragmentary, suggest the pliosaur was about twice the size of a killer whale — and move lead study author David Martill closer to redemption. That’s due to what many researchers considered inaccurate claims he made about the size of another pliosaur in the BBC’s 1999 television documentary series “Walking With Dinosaurs.”

One of the episodes “showed a 25-metre long Liopleurodon,” which “sparked heated debates … as it was thought to have been wildly overestimated and more likely to have only reached an adult size of just over six metres long,” according to a news release about the current study, published May 10 in the journal Proceedings of the Geologists’ Association.

Martill, who was a consultant for the episode and is currently a professor in the University of Portsmouth’s School of the Environment, Geography and Geosciences in the United Kingdom, said he got the size “horrendously wrong.”

“I based my calculations on some fragmentary

material which suggested a Liopleurodon could grow to a length of 25 metres, but the evidence was scant and it caused a lot of controversy at the time,” he said in a statement. “Now we have some evidence that is much more reliable after a serendipitous discovery of four enormous (vertebrae).”

‘VERY FEARSOME ANIMALS’

Martill recently found one of those vertebrae in a drawer of fossils at Abingdon County Hall Museum in England, and subsequently learned the curator had three more in storage. The vertebrae were large, with a maximum width of 269 millimetres (10.5 inches), maximum height of 222 millimeters (8.7 inches) and maximum length of 103 millimetres (4 inches).

Due to the size of the vertebrae and comparisons to other fossils of other species from the Mid Jurassic and Early Cretaceous periods, the researchers concluded they were closely related to pliosaurs or a similar but undescribed species, according to the study.

Topographic scans showed the reptile might have grown to between 9.8 and 14.4 meters (roughly between 32 and 47 feet) long, the authors wrote.

“Although not yet on a par with the claims made for Liopleurodon in the iconic BBC TV series ‘Walking with Dinosaurs,’” Martill

added, “it wouldn’t surprise me if one day we find some clear evidence that this monstrous species was even bigger.”

Adam S. Smith, curator of natural sciences at the Nottingham Natural History Museum, Wollaton Hall, agreed.

“It isn’t out of the question that pliosaurs may have exceeded 15 metres long,” Smith said via email. However, he cautioned that an increase in length corresponds with an “exponential increase in volume … placing a biological limit on the upper size pliosaurs could reach.” Smith wasn’t involved in the study.

Pliosaurs were “a group of large carnivorous marine reptiles characterized by massive heads, short necks and streamlined tear-shaped bodies,” according to Britannica. Four large fins helped propel the ancient creatures through seas. Pliosaurs were similar to plesiosaurs, their relatives in the order Plesiosauria, but had bigger elongated heads and shorter necks.

“We know these pliosaurs were very fearsome animals swimming in the seas that covered Oxfordshire 145152 million years ago,” Martill said. “They had a massive skull with huge protruding teeth like daggers — as big, if not bigger than, a T. rex, and certainly more powerful.

Artwork by study co-author Megan Jacobs imagines what a large Late Jurassic-age pliosaur would have looked like

Science & Technology

How much you exercise may impact your flu and pneumonia risk, study shows

IT’S time to add to your list of reasons to work out: Getting active could help prevent risk of death from the flu and pneumonia, according to new research.

Meeting the physical activity guidelines for aerobic and musclestrengthening activity reduces risk of dying from influenza and pneumonia by 48%, according to a study published Tuesday in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic physical activity and two or more days of moderate muscle strengthening activities a week, according to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans issued by the US Department of Health and Human Services.

The study relied on the survey data of more than 570,000 people from the US National Health Interview Survey between 1998 and 2018. People were asked about their physical activity habits, and they were categorized into groups based on how well they met the recommended amount of exercise, according to the study.

On average, the respondents were monitored for nine years after the initial survey. There were 1,516 deaths from the flu or pneumonia in that time.

Meeting both recommendations for aerobic and musclestrengthening activity cut the risk associated with flu or pneumonia

Adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic physical activity and two or more days of moderate muscle strengthening activities a week

death nearly in half, but meeting just the aerobic activity target was associated with a 36% lower risk, according to the study.

Both influenza and pneumonia are among leading causes of death in the United States and around the world, so the results are significant, said lead study author Dr. Bryant Webber, an epidemiologist in the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity.

“Readers may appreciate the importance of influenza and pneumococcal vaccination. This study might encourage them that physical activity may be another powerful tool for protecting themselves against influenza and

Webb telescope spots water in rare comet

Astronomers used the James Webb Space Telescope to observe a rare comet in our solar system, making a long-awaited scientific breakthrough and stumbling across another mystery at the same time.

For the first time, water was detected in a main belt comet, or a comet located in the main asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. The discovery came after 15 years of attempts by astronomers using different observation methods.

The space observatory detected water vapour around Comet Read, which suggests that water ice can be preserved in a warmer part of the solar system. A study detailing the findings was published Monday

in the journal Nature.

Comets typically exist in the Kuiper Belt and the Oort Cloud, icy regions beyond the orbit of Neptune that can preserve some of the frozen materials left over from the formation of the solar system. The comets venture on long, ovalshaped orbits around the sun that can take thousands of years and have streaming tails that develop as the frigid objects occasionally pass close to the sun. Their fuzzy appearance and tails of material differentiate comets from asteroids.

But a rare subclass of comets called main belt comets are objects in the asteroid belt with circular orbits around the sun that periodically exhibit comet

pneumonia death,” he said. The results make sense given existing knowledge, and the benefits may extend to other conditions, said Dr. Robert Sallis, director of the sports medicine fellowship at Kaiser Permanente Fontana Medical Center, and clinical professor of family medicine at Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine in California. He was not involved in the study.

“This study is also consistent with the various studies showing that regular exercise dramatically lowered the risk of COVID-19 related death in similar fashion,” Sallis said in an email.

NOT ENOUGH IS BETTER

THAN NOTHING

But even if you can’t reach the recommended amount, some activity can still provide more protection than none, according to the study.

“We also found that any level of aerobic physical activity, even at amounts below the recommended level, lowered the risk of influenza and pneumonia death, as compared to doing no aerobic activity,” Webber said.

Getting 10 to 149 minutes a week of aerobic physical activity was associated with a 21% decreased risk of flu and pneumonia death, the study showed.

“Our overarching advice for everyone — regardless of age or perceived physical fitness level — is to ‘move more and sit less,’” Webber said in an email. “Readers who do not get any physical activity should be encouraged that doing any is better than none.”

BUT THERE IS SUCH THING AS TOO MUCH

That being said, no additional benefit was seen for people who got more than 600 minutes a week of aerobic activity, the study showed.

And in the case of muscle strengthening, there is such a thing as too much, the study showed.

Meeting the target of two or more sessions lowered the mortality risk significantly, but

getting seven or more sessions was associated with a 41% increased risk of death by flu or pneumonia, the study showed.

However, this was an observational study, the researchers noted, which means that the study can’t make claims about what causes or prevents the deaths — just what factors were associated with a level of risk.

The increased risk could be related to a range of factors, including the cardiovascular impacts of frequent musclestrengthening activity or inaccurate responses to the survey, the study said.

Even though there are limitations in the design, researchers often rely on these studies when it is impossible to randomize people into different lifestyles, Sallis said.

GETTING IN MORE ACTIVITY

Aerobic activity — or cardio, as it’s often called — doesn’t have to mean getting yourself to the gym regularly, the study said. This type of movement is anything that gets your heart rate and sweat glands going, including speed walking, swimming, biking, running or stair climbing.

Exercises such as lifting weights, squats, lunges or even heavy gardening can count as your muscle-strengthening activity, the study added. (CNN)

An artist’s illustration shows ice vaporizing into a gas from Comet 238P/Read as its orbit approaches the sun

like behaviour, such as shedding material that creates a fuzzy appearance and a trailing tail.

Rather than shedding icy material through sublimation, when a solid turns directly to a gas,

the main belt comets only seemed to eject dust. Given their location in the warm inner solar system

Science & Technology

Human DNA can now be pulled from thin air or a footprint on the beach

Footprints left on a beach. Air breathed in a busy room. Ocean water.

Scientists have been able to collect and analyse detailed genetic data from human DNA from all these places, raising thorny ethical questions about consent, privacy and security when it comes to our biological information.

The researchers from the University of Florida, who were using environmental DNA found in sand to study endangered sea turtles, said the DNA was of such high quality that the scientists could identify mutations associated with disease and determine the genetic ancestry of populations living nearby.

They could also match genetic information to individual participants who had volunteered to have their DNA recovered as part of the research that published in the scientific journal Nature Ecology & Evolution on Monday.

“All this very personal, ancestral and health related data is freely available in the environment and is simply floating around in the air right now,” said David Duffy, a professor of wildlife disease genomics at the University of Florida.

Environmental DNA has been obtained from air, soil, sediment, water, permafrost, snow and ice cores and the techniques are primarily being used to help track and protect endangered animals.

Human DNA that has seeped into the environment through our spit, skin, sweat and blood could be used to help find missing persons, aid in forensic investigations

to solve crimes, locate sites of archaeological importance, and for health monitoring through DNA found in waste water, the study noted.

However, the ability to capture human DNA from the environment could have a range of unintended consequences — both inadvertent and malicious, they added. These included privacy breaches, location tracking, data harvesting, and genetic surveillance of individuals or groups. It could lead to ethical hurdles for the approval of wildlife studies.

Matthias Wienroth, a senior fellow studying social and ethical aspects of genetics in forensics, surveillance and human health at the University of Northumbria in the UK, said the scientists involved in the study had taken the “ethical aspects of their work seriously”

and “identified some key issues that are likely to emerge with their findings.”

“It is important to preserve human autonomy, dignity and the right to self-determination over personal data. This is difficult if you can’t ask those whose DNA may be collected in the environment (for permission), because there’s probably no way to avoid losing DNA to the environment via skin, hair, and breath,” Wienroth, who was not involved in the research, said via email.

He emphasized the need to develop and deploy foresight in genetics and genomics research: “A key issue is that such incidental eDNA findings may make their way into databases that can be compared with user data at other genetics databases, thus undermining informed

consent and even customer confidentiality.”

HUMAN DNA FOUND IN WATER, SAND, AIR

The team at the University of Florida’s Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Sea Turtle Hospital were using environmental DNA — recovered from turtle tracks made on sand — to study endangered green sea turtles and the viral cancers they are susceptible to, when they noticed that they were also picking up human DNA from sand and in the ocean and rivers surrounding the lab.

They termed this information “human genetic bycatch” and decided to study the phenomenon in greater depth.

In addition to the samples from subtropical Florida, Duffy tested water from the Avoca River in County Wicklow in temperate Ireland, finding human DNA as it flowed through the town of Arklow — although not in the river’s uppermost reaches where there was no human habitation.

They also retrieved DNA from footprints made in sand by four volunteers. With permission, they were able to sequence part of the participants’ genomes. Next, the researchers took samples of air from a 280-square-foot room in an animal clinic where six people worked as they went about their normal daily routines. The team recovered DNA that matched the staff volunteers, animal patients and common animal viruses.

From the genetic information the scientists collected, they were

able to identify genetic variants associated with European and Latino populations and variations associated with a range of disorders and diseases such as autism, diabetes, eye diseases, cancer and cardiac diseases.

“These sequences recovered both the nuclear and mitochondrial regions of the human genome, which means that we can easily determine if a male or female (was) walking in the sun or (their) presence in a room depending on whether or not we sequenced the X or Y chromosome,” Duffy explained at a news briefing.

“Using the mitochondrial genome, we were able to investigate the genetic ancestry of our samples.”

Yves Moreau, a professor at the University of Leuven in Belgium who studies artificial intelligence and genetics and has shone a light on China’s DNA sampling of Tibetan and Uyghur minorities, said that while it was possible to imagine a scenario where “a mafia or dictatorship would track a protected witness or a political refugee” using waste water sequencing, it remained “a bit far fetched.”

“We need a political discussion of expectations of privacy in the public space, in particular for DNA. We cannot avoid shedding DNA in the public space,” Moreau, who was not involved in this study, said via email.

“We should however not panic, and I am always afraid of precautions that would make research grind to a halt. It is a delicate balance to find.” (CNN)

Monkeypox: WHO declares global emergency

Monkeypox is no longer a global public health emergency, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said, almost a year after the threat was raised.

The virus is still around and further waves and outbreaks could continue, but the highest level of alert is over, the WHO added.

The global health body’s chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called on countries to “remain vigilant”.

It can be passed on by close contact with someone who is infected.

More than 87,000 cases and 140 deaths have been reported from

111 countries during the global outbreak, according to a WHO count.

But almost 90% fewer cases were recorded over the last three months compared with the previous three-month period, meaning the highest level of alert is no longer required, Tedros said.

In the UK, only 10 cases have been reported since the beginning of the year.

The announcement comes just a week after the UN agency also declared the Covid emergency over. Declaring a

over

(PHEIC) signals that countries need to work together to manage a shared threat, such as a disease outbreak.

There is now just one WHOdeclared PHEIC - for poliovirus, which was declared in May 2014.

Dr Katy Sinka, head of sexually transmitted infections at the UK Health Security Agency, said: “If you’re eligible and still need to take up the vaccine, please come forward ahead of the summer months to ensure you have maximum protection.

“First doses of the vaccine will end on 16 June and both doses will cease at the end of July.” (BBC)

Human DNA was recovered from a footprint on a Florida beach

Monkeypox is caused by the monkeypox virus, a member of the same family of viruses as smallpox

Science & Technology

Global warming set to break key 1.5C limit for first time

Our overheating world is likely to break a key temperature limit for the first time over the next few years, scientists predict.

Researchers say there’s now a 66% chance we will pass the 1.5C global warming threshold between now and 2027.

The chances are rising due to emissions from human activities and a likely El Niño weather pattern later this year.

If the world passes the limit, scientists stress the breach, while worrying, will likely be temporary.

Hitting the threshold would mean the world is 1.5C warmer than it was during the second half of the 19th Century, before fossil fuel emissions from industrialisation really began to ramp up.

And breaking the limit even for just one year is a worrying sign that warming is accelerating and not slowing down.

The 1.5C figure has become a symbol of global climate change negotiations. Countries agreed to “pursue efforts” to limit global temperature rises to 1.5C under the 2015 Paris agreement.

Going over 1.5C every year for a decade or two would see far greater impacts of warming, such as longer heatwaves, more intense storms and wildfires.

But passing the level in one of the next few years would not mean that the Paris limit had been broken. Scientists say there is still time to restrict global warming by cutting emissions sharply.

Since 2020 the World Meteorological Organisation has been giving an estimate of the chances of the world breaking the 1.5C threshold in any one year.

By last year this had increased to 50%, and now it’s jumped to 66%, which the scientists say means it’s “more likely than not.”

WHAT DOES GOING OVER 1.5C MEAN?

The figure is not a direct measure of the world’s temperature but an indicator of how much or how little the Earth has warmed or cooled compared to the long term global average.

Scientists use average temperature data from the period between 18501900 as a measure of how hot the world was before our modern reliance on coal, oil and gas.

world.

Over the past few decades our overheating world has nudged the mercury up so that in 2016, the warmest on record, global temperatures were 1.28C above the pre-industrial figure.

Now researchers say that figure is set to be smashed - they are 98% certain the high mark will be broken before 2027.

And in the years between now and then they believe there’s a very solid chance the 1.5C limit will be surpassed for the first time.

stark and obvious and simplest statistic that we’ve got in the report,” he told a news conference.

The researchers stress that temperatures would have to stay at or above 1.5C for 20 years to be able to say the Paris agreement threshold had been passed.

“This report does not mean that we will permanently exceed the 1.5C level specified in the Paris Agreement which refers to longterm warming over many years,” said WMO Secretary-General Prof. Petteri Taalas

of carbon emissions from human activities that despite a fall during the pandemic are still going up.

The second, critical part is the likely appearance of El Niño, a weather phenomenon with global implications.

For the last three years the world has been experiencing a La Niña event which has dampened climate warming to some extent.

But the extra heat that El Niño will bring to the surface of the Pacific will likely push the global temperature to a new high next year.

However there is still uncertainty around the onset and scale of the event.

“It’s worth noting that a lot of our forecasts that are being made now for the El Niño that we think is developing this winter, are showing pretty big amplitude,” Prof Scaife told reporters.

“But to actually predict the magnitude, or a subsequent event within the five-year period, we can’t give the exact dates of that beyond this one year ahead, so it could be in three or four years from now we get to two and a half degree El Niño and that might be the one that does it. “

WHAT ARE THE LIKELY IMPACTS IN THE UK AND ELSEWHERE?

Back then they predicted there was less than a 20% chance of breaking 1.5C in the five years ahead. closer to the sun than typical comets, main belt comets weren’t expected to retain much ice — until now. And the discovery could add more evidence to the theory of how water became a plentiful resource on Earth early in its history.

For decades they believed that if the world warmed by around 2C that would be the threshold of dangerous impacts - but in 2018 they significantly revised this estimate, showing that going past 1.5C would be calamitous for the

“We really are now within reach of a temporary exceedance of 1.5C for the annual mean temperature, and that’s the first time in human history we’ve been that close,” said Prof Adam Scaife, head of long range forecasts at the Met Office, who compile the data from weather and climate agencies around the world.

“I think that’s perhaps the most

“However, WMO is sounding the alarm that we will breach the 1.5C level on a temporary basis with increasing frequency,” he said.

WHAT DIFFERENCE WILL EL NIÑO MAKE?

There are two key elements - the first is the continuing high levels

The Arctic will experience warming at a greater level than many regions, with the temperature anomaly expected to be three times as large as the global figure over the next five northern hemisphere winters.

Northern Europe including the UK will likely experience increased rainfall for the May to September period over the next five years, the report says. (BBC)

Webb telescope spots water in rare comet

Comets and water-rich asteroids may have collided with early Earth and delivered water to our planet.

“Our water-soaked world, teeming with life and unique in the universe as far as we know, is something of a mystery — we’re not sure how all this water got here,” said study co-author Stefanie Milam, Webb deputy project scientist for planetary science at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight

Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, in a statement. “Understanding the history of water distribution in the solar system will help us to understand other planetary systems, and if they could be on their way to hosting an Earth-like planet.”

INVESTIGATING RARE COMETS

Main belt comets were first codiscovered in 2006 by study coauthor Henry Hsieh, senior scientist at the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, Arizona. Comet Read was one of the original comets used to create the subcategory.

The precise data collected

by Webb’s Near-Infrared Spectrograph helped astronomers to determine the signature of water vapor around Comet Read shortly after its close approach to the sun.

“In the past, we’ve seen objects in the main belt with all the characteristics of comets, but only with this precise spectral data from Webb can we say yes, it’s definitely water ice that is creating that effect,” said lead study author Michael Kelley, astronomer and principal research scientist at the University of Maryland in College Park, in a statement. “With Webb’s observations of Comet Read, we can now demonstrate that water ice from the early solar system can

be preserved in the asteroid belt.”

Along with the discovery came a new puzzle. Comet Read has no detectable carbon dioxide, which is an ingredient that makes up about 10% of the material vaporized by the sun in all other comets.

It’s possible that the warmer temperatures of the main asteroid belt cause Comet Read to lose its carbon dioxide over time, the researchers said.

“Being in the asteroid belt for a long time could do it — carbon dioxide vaporizes more easily than water ice, and could percolate out over billions of years,” Kelley said.

Comet Read might have also

formed in a warmer pocket of the solar system without carbon dioxide, Kelley said.

The observation team is eager to study other main belt comets and compare them with Webb’s data from Comet Read to see if the celestial objects also lack carbon dioxide and determine the next steps for unlocking the secrets of rare comets.

“Now that Webb has confirmed there is water preserved as close as the asteroid belt, it would be fascinating to follow up on this discovery with a sample collection mission, and learn what else the main belt comets can tell us,” Milam said. (CNN)

This is how El Niño brought heat to the surface of the Pacific in 2015

Sports International

Manchester City march into Champions League final

Manchester City delivered a relentless performance laced with outstanding quality to overpower holders Real Madrid and reach the Champions League final against Inter Milan in Istanbul.

City have lost two previous semi-finals to Real but they made no mistake here at a joyous Etihad Stadium to now stand one step away from claiming the trophy that has always stayed tantalisingly out of reach for Pep Guardiola’s team.

And their display in a magical first half, in particular, will live long in the memory as the masters of this tournament were left bewildered by City’s brilliance.

It maintained a seemingly unstoppable march towards a treble of Champions League, Premier League - which can be won with victory at home to Chelsea on Sunday - and the FA Cup, where they play Manchester United in the final at Wembley.

Real keeper Thibaut Courtois performed heroics to save two Erling Haaland headers early in the first half but he was powerless

to stop Bernardo Silva’s closerange finish after 23 minutes, the Portugal midfielder scoring a looping header for the second eight minutes before half-time.

City faced the occasional threats from Real after the break, Ederson saving well from David Alaba and Karim Benzema, but they were no match and when Manuel Akanji’s header deflected in off Eder Militao 14 minutes from time the celebrations started.

Substitute Julian Alvarez then wrapped up the dominant win with a late strike after latching onto a brilliant Phil Foden pass.

City will play Inter on 10 June as they look to win the Champions League for the first time.

City have put themselves in a magnificent position to become only the second English club to win the Treble first claimed by Manchester United in 1999.

City look to have finally broken Arsenal in the Premier League title race and will be overwhelming favourites to beat Inter Milan, although the desire to keep this

feat for themselves will provide fuel and inspiration for United in the FA Cup final at Wembley.

Guardiola’s side have somehow found ways to miss out on the Champions League in the past but the addition of Haaland’s sheer menace as well as more defensive steel makes it difficult to see how they will not find a way past surprise finalists Inter.

City made a Real side full of experience and quality look several classes beneath them in a first half that will be among the finest this stadium has seen, the dazzling interplay, fierce intensity and pace giving them a two-goal advantage that would have been far more but for the excellence of Courtois.

This night had a special atmosphere even before kick-off and victory will taste even sweeter

after the pain of last season’s loss at the same stage, when City were almost in the final only to concede two stoppage-time goals and eventually go out.

The Champions League has inflicted various levels of anguish on City despite their domestic dominance but if they perform anything like this in Istanbul it is hard to see an efficient but unspectacular Inter side having enough to trouble them.

Real should never be written off with their history of success but there was an end-of-an-era feel about the manner of this defeat.

The side who put Liverpool and Chelsea out of the Champions League with the minimum of fuss looked its age here as City ran the holders ragged.

Luka Modric was taken off and replaced by Antonio Rudiger just

after the hour, the 37-year-old’s future at the Bernabeu uncertain, while even Karim Benzema, 35, was unable to pose his usual threat.

Real will refuse to stand still and the way they were outclassed here may only speed up the rate of change, with England’s teenage sensation Jude Bellingham looking set to arrive to supplement the next generation midfielders alongside Federico Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni.

Whether the great Carlo Ancelotti remains in charge will also be a point of debate with change often in the air if Real go a season without winning either La Liga or the Champions League. Whatever the outcome, the Italian manager keeps his place in history as the only coach to win this tournament four times. (BBC)

Spurs win NBA Draft lottery expected to pick 7-foot-4 Frenchman Wembanyama

YOUNG French superstar Victor Wembanyama is likely headed to San Antonio after the five-time NBA champion Spurs on Tuesday night won the rights to the top pick at the NBA Draft lottery.

“I can’t really describe (my emotions) right now,” the 19-yearold told ESPN from Paris. “My heart is beating, I’ve got everyone I love around me. It’s a really special moment I’m going to remember for the rest of my life.”

Wembanyama is a 7-foot-4, inside/ outside player who leaves defenders and viral videos in his wake. There have been few players whose journey to the pinnacle of basketball have been as highly followed: In figures released by the NBA, Wembanyama is No. 8 on its list of the top-10 mostviewed players on social media this season – despite not even being in the league yet.

The Spurs, who went 22-60 this season, last won an NBA title in

Duncan

Spurs

“I’m trying to win a ring ASAP,

so be ready,” Wembanyama said to ESPN.

Following the lottery, Spurs Managing Partner Peter J. Holt said, “The team and the city that sticks with us and put so much effort and love into the organization, it’s just amazing for them to get rewarded.”

With NBA champions, MVPs and all-stars – LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant, to name a few – all expressing their excitement at Wembanyama’s arrival in the United States, analysts are likening his coming to the NBA to that of the teenaged James in 2003.

“He’s like a (NBA) 2K created player, every point guard that wants to be seven foot. Cheat code type vibes,” said four-time NBA champion Curry.

Durant added, “The league’s really in trouble when he comes in.”

Wembanyama has become elite at handling the ball, dribbling, passing, jump shooting and scoring from three-point range. Throw all of that together with being over 7 feet tall and there’s no wonder he’s being touted as the most exciting player to enter the league in 20 years.

In fact, James described Wembanyama as an “alien” and a “generational talent,” while twotime MVP Antetokounmpo said the NBA has “never seen someone like that before.”

Entering the NBA Draft lottery, the Spurs, Detroit Pistons and Houston Rockets each had 14% odds of securing the top selection.

The Charlotte Hornets won the second selection, the Portland Trail Blazers will pick third, the Rockets nabbed the No. 4 slot and the Pistons will go fifth.

The NBA Draft takes place on June 22. (CNN)

Bernardo Silva has now scored 12 goals for Man City in this competition - 10 of those have come in the knockout phase, including each of the last eight.

Victor Wembanyama is No. 8 on its list of the top-10 most-viewed players on social media this season –despite not even being in the league yet.

2014, led by Hall of Famer Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, the first Frenchman to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

was the selection the

made the last time they had the top overall pick in the NBA draft in 1997. He went on to win five championships for San Antonio.

Sports International

Emilia Romagna Grand Prix: Imola race called off because of major flooding

The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix has been called off this weekend because of major flooding in the region.

Discussions on Wednesday between local authorities and organisers of the race at Imola in Italy concluded that the event could not proceed safely.

At least eight people have died and 5,000 people have had to be evacuated following widespread flooding across the Emilia Romagna region.

F1 said calling off the race was “the right and responsible thing to do”.

F1 will look at options for rescheduling the race but it is considered unlikely to make a return because of the crowded schedule.

“It is such a tragedy to see what has happened to Imola and Emilia Romagna, the town and region that I grew up in,” F1 president and chief executive officer Stefano Domenicali said

The decision comes after a red weather warning was issued for the region on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Red Bull’s Alpha Tauri team, who are based in nearby Faenza, said in a statement they were “very concerned about events unfolding over the past hours in the whole Emilia Romagna area, with flooding and heavy rain causing considerable damage”.

Formula 1 staff were told to leave the track on Tuesday and to stay away on Wednesday

is just over 50 miles north-west of Imola and also in the affected region.

Ferrari team principle Frederic Vasseur said in a statement: “Emilia Romagna is our homeland and it’s heartbreaking to see what people are going through at the moment.”

The track was evacuated on Tuesday as a result of the risk of flooding from the Santerno river, which runs next to the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari.

F1 personnel were forbidden

from entering the circuit on Wednesday as heavy rain had continued overnight and into the morning.

The Emilia Romagna GP had been scheduled to be the sixth race of the season and was the first of three events on consecutive weekends, followed by Monaco and Spain.

There had been plans for a record 23-race calendar in 2023 but the cancellation of Imola means that the schedule will be reduced to 22, the same as last year.

Britain’s Lewis Hamilton said he hoped everyone in the region was able to “stay safe and look out for each other”.

“Thoughts are with those affected by this tragedy and the amazing emergency services working on the ground,” Hamilton said on Instagram.

World champion and Red Bull driver Max Verstappen said he supported the decision to call off the race, adding: “Our thoughts are with all those affected by the severe rainfall and flooding

in the greater Emilia Romagna region. We wish you all strength to ensure your safety throughout this period.”

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said: “My thoughts and those of the entire FIA family are with those affected by the terrible situation in the Emilia Romagna region. The safety of everyone involved and recovery efforts are the top priority at this time.”

Mercedes’ George Russell said: “Sorry for the fans that this weekend’s race has been cancelled but the safety of everyone involved always has to come first.”

‘WORST NIGHT IN THE HISTORY OF ROMAGNA’

Officials say some areas of Emilia Romagna have received half of their average annual rainfall in just 36 hours.

This has caused rivers to burst their banks, submerging thousands of acres of farmland under water and flooding towns, with 5,000 people having to be evacuated and some rescued from roofs by helicopter.

“It’s probably been the worst night in the history of Romagna,” the Mayor of Ravenna, Michele de Pascale, told RAI public radio.

“Ravenna is unrecognisable for the damage it has suffered.”

Further rain is expected in the region over the coming days with river levels still rising. (BBC)

The first four months of 2023 have seen record TV viewing figures for women’s sport in the UK, according to data from the Women’s Sport Trust.

The growth was driven by coverage of the Women’s Six Nations, the Women’s Super League and the ICC T20 World Cup.

From 1 January-30 April, 20.6 million people watched at least three minutes or more of women’s sport, including many new to viewing women’s sport.

This is up from 18.9 million in the same period in 2022.

The 2023 Six Nations, which saw England lift the trophy for the fifth time in a row, was watched for a total of 10.4 million hours in the

UK - the longest in history. And of those tuning in, 42% were women - up from 37% last year.

Meanwhile, domestic football has seen 15.3 million viewers so far this year, already beating the 14.6 million viewers for the entire 2021-22 season. There was a 9% increase in female viewers of the Women’s Super League.

Away from club football, England’s success in the Arnold Clark Cup was watched by 1.5 million more people than last year.

As for cricket, an average of 150,000 viewers watched every game as England made it to the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup - up from 138,000 in 2020.

The entire tournament had 7.11 million viewing hours - 1.34 million

England’s women won their fifth Six Nations title in a row in 2023

more than the previous best in 2018. Women’s Sport Trust (WST) chief executive Tammy Parlour said the figures show “the unstoppable rise of women’s sport”

once again.

“It is hugely encouraging to see that a number of sports are attracting record audiences in the first four months of 2023,” she

added.

The WST is a leading UK charity which aims to raise the visibility and strengthen the impact of women’s sport in the UK. (BBC)

The Ferrari factory in Maranello

Women’s sport: New data shows record TV viewing figures so far in 2023

Kerr’s goal seals Chelsea’s third successive FA Cup

SAM Kerr was Chelsea’s matchwinner yet again as they wrapped up a third successive Women’s FA Cup title with victory over Manchester United in front of a world-record domestic crowd at Wembley Stadium.

Kerr, who has netted six goals in the competition this season, fired in a cross from Pernille Harder and celebrated in front of Chelsea supporters with her trademark backflip.

The game had been finely poised until Kerr broke the deadlock despite Manchester United, competing in their first major cup final, being on top for most of the first half.

Marc Skinner’s side, who have never defeated Chelsea, imposed themselves early on when Leah Galton had a goal ruled out within 23 seconds of kick-off for offside.

United had an edge after the chaotic start and came close again when Millie Turner almost stabbed in a loose ball on a free-kick, before Galton sliced Alessia Russo’s low cross wide at the near post.

But Chelsea always carried a threat through Lauren James, who looped a header which was expertly tipped on to the post by goalkeeper Mary Earps.

With 77,390 watching on at Wembley - a world record for a women’s domestic match - Chelsea began to impose their quality after the break.

Substitute Harder eventually provided the extra quality they needed when she teed up Kerr, ensuring Chelsea became the first side since Arsenal in 2008 to win three Women’s FA Cups in a row.

Chelsea claimed victory in front of a world-record domestic crowd

list of phenomenal achievements by Emma Hayes’ side - and she will hope to add more in a few weeks’ time as Chelsea remain locked in a fierce Women’s Super League title race with United.

CHELSEA STILL THE TEAM TO BEAT

Chelsea’s achievement, winning a third consecutive FA Cup crown, will not come as a surprise given their relentless hunger for silverware - but it’s still an immense feat.

mattered.

“When I watched the kick-off and we didn’t execute it well, or the second or third phase, then they scored, I thought ‘this is going to be a long game’,” said Hayes.

“It is so difficult to play again and again. We were just off everything in the first half. I said to the girls at half-time that ‘this is the grind’.

“We have done it before. Yes, Manchester United had the first half but we had the second half.”

winning strike - again - linking up with attacking partner Harder, who only returned from a long-term injury this month.

Hayes has often described Kerr as the world’s best striker and she always turns up on the big stagenetting in six successive cup finals for the Blues, including the extratime winner over Manchester City in last year’s FA Cup.

they did not show any sign of stage fright.

Having reformed the women’s team only five years ago, their astonishing rise to the top of the WSL table and to the FA Cup final was already an achievement in itself.

And this is a squad packed full of winners - including four Lionesses who won Euro 2022 at Wembley a year ago.

They showed their intent in the first half in particular, being the better side for large periods, but as the game wore on, Chelsea began to take control.

United centre-backs Turner and Maya Le Tissier were in fine form, playing out from the back and largely managing Kerr’s dangerous runs in behind.

But United’s lack of ruthlessness in key moments proved costly.

Turner and Galton’s chances in the first half were squandered, Russo’s efforts went straight to goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger and a late scramble in stoppage time was cleared by Chelsea.

It was a harsh lesson in fine margins but United showed they belong on this stage and they will be back again. They still have a WSL title to compete for and now they have experienced the Wembley arena, they will surely be hungry to return.

They have been the team to beat for several seasons under Hayes and each year have faced increasingly ambitious opponents. United are the latest to develop and will no doubt challenge again but today, Chelsea showed their superiority in the moments when it

Kerr, recently named Football Writer’s Player of the Year, has led from the front all season, scoring goals and carrying a weight of responsibility on her shoulders as other senior players struggled through injury.

Knowing Kerr just needs the one chance was in the back of everyone’s mind and, when Harder drilled it across the box from the right, the Chelsea supporters behind the goal had already started to celebrate.

UNITED WILL BE BACK AGAIN SOON

“We started well and, considering Chelsea had been in many finals, we looked like the team that had been in many finals too,” said Skinner.

It was fitting then that it was Kerr who delivered the match-

United were in unknown territory having reached their first final but

“It’s a different type of game in a final and you have to play with more maturity. I thought we played with maturity. We want to be where they were today - so that’s what we’ll strive for.” (BBC)

Italian Open 2023 results: Novak Djokovic loses to Holger Rune in Rome

It is their fifth FA Cup crown overall and the latest in a growing Novak Djokovic suffered his earliest exit at the Italian Open since 2013 when he was beaten by rising Danish star Holger Rune in the quarter-finals.

The Serb top seed, who turns 36 next week, was beaten 6-2 4-6 6-2 by 20-year-old Rune on the Rome clay.

Djokovic was bidding for his seventh title in the Italian capital as he prepares for the French Open on 28 May.

Seventh seed Rune will play Norwegian fourth seed Casper Ruud in the semi-final.

Djokovic’s preparations for the French Open have been disrupted by injury, having missed the recent Madrid Open with an elbow problem and returning to the court in Rome as he looked to build up

form and fitness.

The 22-time Grand Slam champion will have the opportunity at Roland Garros to move clear of Rafael Nadal in terms of the most

men’s major titles of all time. Following opening wins against Tomas Martin Etcheverry, Grigor Dimitrov and British number one Cameron Norrie, Djokovic was

going through the gears in Rome without yet finding his finest form.

There were signs of tension during a tetchy last-16 match against Norrie, before which Djokovic needed treatment for an injury that he was reluctant to discuss afterwards.

Djokovic, who will be replaced as world number one by Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz next week, also needed a medical timeout early in the second set against Rune.

While that was perhaps a factor behind his flat performance, the main reason for the defeat was he could not cope with the problems posed by the Dane.

Rune showed why he is being predicted to win some of the sport’s biggest prizes, showing

confidence in his shot-making to trade blows with Djokovic and also demonstrating his strong mental resilience.

After racing to the opening set in 38 minutes, Rune lost focus in the second set after a line call went against him.

The ruling by umpire Mohamed Lahyani left Rune livid and he lost serve to go 4-2 down but, after teeing up three break points by finishing an extraordinary 34-shot rally with a sublime drop shot, reduced the deficit to 5-4.

Djokovic upped his level again to threaten another break at 0-30 and - after rain forced the players off court for over an hour - secured the set seconds after the restart to level the match.

Novak Djokovic showed signs of frustration in the second set, arguing with umpire Mohamed Lahyani and unhappy with the surface

Sports National

“Benefits of sports are so immense” opines Forbes

Director of Sport in the Turks and Caicos Islands Jarrett Forbes was given a first-hand view of the transformational aspect of sporting activities when he attended the General Assembly American Sports Council CADE 2023 held in Cartagena, Colombia earlier this month.

Sport leaders from thirtyplus countries from across South America, Central America, North America and the Caribbean attended the three-day event.

Among the topics discussed, according to a press release from the TCI Sports Commission, were: best practices in hosting major games such as the PanAmerican Games in Santiago Chile 2023 and its projected legacies; transformation of recreational sport and active living through active management; empowering

our athletes beyond medals; differential approach in sport, an approach towards an inclusive public policy; the commitment and social benefits of physical activities in schools; Para-Olympic sport and resumption of sport challenges post-pandemic and anti-doping in sport.

Mr Forbes had the opportunity to meet with a number of sport leaders in the region representing the various governments as well as executive members of various sporting bodies and representatives from UNESCO and the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Mr Forbes stated, “I was very delighted that the Turks and Caicos Islands had participated in a sports assembly of this magnitude, consisting of sports leaders from the North American Region, Central & South American

Regions, and the Caribbean. The topics and presentations were extremely beneficial for the TCI. Many countries shared their approach to utilising sports to combat crime and violence while others saw the benefits of sports to reduce the sedentary lifestyle in their countries. The benefits of sports are so immense. Member countries expressed how sports improved their GDP; provided opportunities for sustainable growth and development; promoted peace and inclusion; and there was a common position amongst member countries to utilise sports as a tool for sustainable development and growth.”

A common position for the future of sport in the Americas was taken with a final declaration and bilateral agreements of the CADE concluding the General Assembly.

AMIKA Jackson scored four goals to lift the Academy Eagles Football Club to a 4-0 win against Teachers FC when action in the IDL U15 Futsal

League continued recently in Provo.

The youngster scored in the 1st, 9th, 11th and 20th minutes of the game. In the other clash, the SWA

Sharks needled Cheshire Hall FC 1-0 after Brianna Jolly found the back of the net in the eighth minute of play.

Three days of action filled games are scheduled for the Gustarvus Lightbourne Sports Complex court when the Caribbean 19-andUnder Tournament of Champions 2023 takes place next week in Providenciales.

The Rising Stars Basketball Club event has over half a dozen teams battling, including clubs from the Bahamas, the USA and the Dominican Republic. These include Basic Basketball from Freeport, who are the defending champions, 242 Ballers from Nassau, Club 12 ACT from the Dominican Republic and Lifeline Elite from Nebraska, USA.

TCI will be represented by the Gilley’s Enterprises Hornets and the Clement Howell Eagles from Provo and the Grand Turk Concrete Jungle.

Meanwhile, two recruiters will travel for the tournament to scout the prospective talent, they are Head Coach at United International College Jonathan “JP” Hevia and decorated NAIA coach, Ryan Wall from Texas A&M University.

Among the sponsors for the May 26-28 tournament, includes: Got U Covered, SeaScape, TCI Airport Authority, Fortis TCI, Ocean Club Resort, Long Bay Express, the Tides and HLB TCI Ltd.

TCI’s Director of Sport, Jarrett Forbes (left sitting), with other sport leaders at the event

Jarrett Forbes at the meeting

Academy Eagles (right) dominated Teachers FC Jackson lifts Eagles FC to commanding win against Teachers FC in U15 Futsal

Seasoned Head Coach Ryan Wall will be evaluating the talent at the championship

Sports National

Padmore II commits to Oklahoma Panhandle State University

Turks and Caicos basketball player Sherlock Padmore II has officially committed to Oklahoma Panhandle State University (NAIA).

The 6’6 power forward, who is a gunner from mid-range and a passing big man, made the decision over the weekend after months of talking with coaches from different basketball levels from NCAA D1 and D2 teams to NAIA.

The commitment was done through the intervention of local coach Ciaran O’Neill.

O’Neill said: “The Head Coach Charles Belt III is in his first year at Panhandle University. I reached out to him via Twitter, he watched Sherlock’s highlights and full games from his year

at Summit Academy in Utah. Finally, he messaged me over the weekend saying I’m going to offer Sherlock officially today. Coach Belt III called Sherlock they had an amazing conversation and Sherlock committed right away.”

Coach O’Neill said that Padmore’s biggest adjustment to college ball is to get used to the new system. He said his overall game of shooting, passing, shot-blocking and using his height, would continue to help him at this level.

Sherlock, 19, is the fourth Turks Islander that O’Neil has helped to an NAIA member school.

Before him were Romeo Simons and Dwaine Simmons in 2020 and Azel Carmichael in 2022.

TCI’s most decorated male track and field record holder, Ifeanyi Otuonye confirmed recently that this will be his last season as a professional track and field athlete.

The national long jump record holder, who will be 29 in late June, said it was a bittersweet moment.

“Over the past 6 years, I’ve accomplished so much more than I ever thought possible in my career as a professional athlete.

It’s been an incredible journey, pushing my body past limits that I never imagined were possible and proving to myself that my goals were never too big.

I’ve had the privilege of being able to achieve the impossible and it’s a feeling that I will carry with me for the rest of my life.”

Otuonye, who first started as

a high jumper, transitioned to the long and triple jumps, but he found a calling in the former. He went on to break the national long jump record numerous times over the years and carried it over the eight-metre mark for the first time in 2018.

The national record of 8.06m still sits. The former K-State University student has also been the king of the relays.

He currently holds the outdoor 4x100m, 4x200m and 4x400m relay records.

In a social media post, the talented athlete said that 2023 would be about “going out there” and having some fun.

“This last season will be mostly about taking it all in, being grateful for how far I’ve come, and looking forward to where I’m going next.

However, as a competitor, at each competition left, you know I’m still going to compete with the mindset to win and be my best on that day.

After this season, Ifeanyi will focus on a Cloud Engineering career.

“I hope you can join me in celebrating this last season and

cheer me on as I give it my all. Thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout my career and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.”

Sherlock Padmore is a 19-year-old power-forward

Ifeanyi Otuonye is ready to have some fun and give it his all this year

Otuonye confirms 2023 will be his last season as a pro athlete