Turks & Caicos Weekly News

Weekly News Volume 26 | No. 07 | February 18 - 24, 2012

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NIB files motion to protect $10M

5 – Quelch maintains that the $10M claim is disingenuous – Says CFO has since issued threatening correspondence to NIB PAGE 

The National Insurance Board (NIB) will be challenging the Governor’s newly signed ordinance that makes legal the transfer of $10M from the national insurance fund on Monday at a court hearing in Grand Turk. inside

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Government to face taxation lawsuit

The Turks and Caicos Islands Government is expected to face a taxation lawsuit by Grand Turk resident Jerzy Kolodziej, who told the Weekly News that the Taxation ...

PAGE  4

Abuse charges to be pressed against high school Principal

Justin ‘Quick’ Williams, father of the 15-year-old boy from Clement Howell High School who was flogged by the Principal Lloyd Fearon, maintained that an apology is not enough ...

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Fun day sailing thrills This year’s event boasted over 10 entries in each category and the competition saw a few first time winners as well as repeat winners from 2011’s Valentine’s Day Cup events.

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TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

February 18 - 24, 2012

February 18 - 24, 2012

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

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TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

February 18 - 24, 2012

NATIONAL

Editorial

Is this shepherd qualified to lead the flock?

W

hen the news broke in November last year about the incident involving Attorney General Hew Shepheard and a senior member of his staff, the public was shocked that such a thing could happen in the AG’s chambers, the supposedly hallowed ground for order, decency and propriety.

What was even more shocking was that the senior officer, who filed a police complaint against the AG, was summarily put on leave while the AG went merrily about his duties as if nothing had happened.

Apparently somebody warned the powers-that-be that this looked bad, and so the Governor stepped in and decided that instead of putting the AG on leave also -- which was the proper thing to do - he would order the prosecutor back to work while “investigation” into the matter was going on.

The public believed the Governor, not only because he promised a fair and unbiased investigation, he pledged to bring in an independent investigator to conduct the probe. Lo and behold, six weeks later, after much badgering from this newspaper, the Governor announced: “The Commissioner (Commissioner of Police Colin Farquhar) has stated that following an investigation, no further judicial action is required and that this Police file is now closed.”

Holy Moses! And that’s from a Governor who promised at his swearing-in to conduct the “most transparent” administration in the region!

This matter involving the Attorney General of the Turks & Caicos Islands must just not go away like that. The Police may have closed their file on the matter, but the book of public opinion is still open. Sensible people in this country are watching with amazement and disgust at the way British functionaries (who claim to have come here to restore dignity, transparency and good governance) are trampling on the rights and intelligence of the citizens of this country.

What happened on the 30th of November was nothing short of shameful. We don’t know who started the fight, but it was Franklyn who lodged the complaint. Although the Governor reneged on his promise to bring in an independent investigator to probe the matter, and although it is now being said that it was Franklyn who called off the investigation, the damage to the reputation of the AG and his high office has been done and the public has every right to be concerned.

Questions that need to be asked is whether this Attorney General is stable enough emotionally to hold this job. We know questions have arisen about his competency, but we never envisaged that the man who commands the second highest position in the country, who advises the Police and the Governor on justice, legality and probity, would fall so short of his public expectation. And the Governor and Commissioner of Police dismiss these shortcomings as no big deal. The Devil is a liar!

It is not enough for the Commissioner of Police to conduct his own probe and make his own decision to close the books and to Hell with what the public thinks. The TCI has been getting too much of this brand of highhandedness lately, which seems to typify this present administration.

The AG has disgraced the high office he was charged to uphold and he ought to be disciplined and made to apologise.

But we know why it wouldn’t happen; it involves a Brit. For we have learned from recent history that there are two sets of laws here: one set for the locals and another set for the British mandarins on the ground.

Published by Turks & Caicos News Company Ltd. Cheshire House, Leeward Highway, Providenciales P.O. Box 52, Turks & Caicos Islands, BWI W. Blythe Duncanson – Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Faizool Deo – Sports Samantha Dash-Rigby – Court Cord Garrido-Lowe – Graphics/Production Editor Dilletha Lightbourne-Williams – Office Manager Email: (Advertising) tcnews@tciway.tc, (News) tcweeklynews@yahoo.com, (Talk Back) tcweeklynews@gmail.com Tel. 649-946-4664 (office), 649-232-3508 (after hours) Website address: www.tcweeklynews.com

Government to face taxation lawsuit

BY Vanessa Narine

The Turks and Caicos Islands Government is expected to face a taxation lawsuit by Grand Turk resident Jerzy Kolodziej, who told the Weekly News that the Taxation Without Representation case was in an advanced state and ready to be filed.

“I have all of the necessary precedent laws to fully support my case and I am as confident as anyone could be that the case is one that has a much better that even chance of success, Kolodziej said.

According to him, taxation without representation is contrary to provisions our current Constitution.

“The principle that nobody could or should be taxed without their consent is one that is fundamental to all democratic societies. A student of law will have learned that in every society there is a point in time when government has developed to a stage that it has realized that it is illegitimate to raise revenue from the people without consent,” he told the Weekly News.

Kolodziej explained that in the England during the 1600’s, and before, it was common for the King to demand taxes and levies arbitrarily to finance anything from a war to a new wardrobe. If a King’s subject was to refuse to hand over any such taxes, the consequences were often severe, including death.

“During the 1600’s Parliament gradually developed greater powers.

Parliament was known as the House of Commons and its function was to represent the will of the people.

During this period there was increasingly greater friction between the House of Commons and the King that it, in the end, resulted in civil war.

The royalists having been defeated, there was a brief period after the civil war, when there was no Monarch.

“However, the commons soon realized for a variety of reasons that operating without a Monarch presented a number of difficult legal problems,” Kolodziej said.

FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT He pointed out that as a result of all of this, a number of pieces of legislation were passed that were to establish the Constitutional Monarchy and permanently limit the powers of the King (or Queen) to primarily act only on the advice of Parliament and the elected government.

Kolodziej said, “The English Bill of Rights 1688 came into effect in 1689 and that Statute is fundamental to the modern constitutional Monarchy and it also has provisions that make it unlawful to raise or alter

I believe that the English Bill of Rights is equally intended to apply to all of Her Majesty’s subjects - Jerzy Kolodziej

taxation without the express consent of Parliament.”

According to him, throughout the years and to this very day there have been many cases brought before the court that have enforced the right not to be taxed without consent of Parliament.

He stressed that in every case it has been decided that this right is fundamental to English constitution and there is no power to tax without the consent of the people.

Kolodziej said, “I believe that this principle applies equally to the people of the Turks & Caicos Islands. I believe that the English Bill of Rights is equally intended to apply to all of Her Majesty’s subjects…I believe that if it does not equally apply to the overseas territories then none of the territories would in effect be under the Crown’s authority either. It being the case that the basis of the Monarchy and the powers of Parliament are within the Bill of Rights.”

AG IS WRONG He stated that the AG has taken the position the English Bill of Rights is not for the necessary intendment of the TCI and therefore the Governor is free raise revenue as he chooses.

“It is my position that the AG is wrong in law,” Kolodziej said.

He pointed out that there are other grounds in addition to the Bill of Rights argument that appear to support the proposition that there should be no taxation without representation, which include the: • Turks & Caicos Islands Constitution Order 2006 Section 16 (Protection from deprivation of property). It is expressed that tax can be raised “except so far as that provision or, as the case may be, the thing done under its authority is shown not to be reasonably justifiable in a democratic society”.

• European Convention on Human Rights First Protocol Article 1

(Protection of Property). It has been held that all Convention rights must be interpreted to be reasonably justifiable in a democratic society. This includes Article 1 of the First Protocol.

Taxation without representative authority is arbitrary and inconsistent with a democratic society.

• Provisions that exist in the UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, however, UN rights are not directly enforceable in our courts. Even so, it has been held that all legislation must be interpreted to give meaning to those rights unless the provisions of the statute are expressly to the contrary.

Kolodziej said, “The executive does not have the authority to raise taxation without the express authority of Parliament. It is difficult to see how the executive, via orders in council, can delegate powers to the Governor that it does not have itself. This is a basic principle of law that it is impossible to delegate a power that is beyond that which is in existence.”

He maintains that the time is long overdue for these matters to be dealt with comprehensively and decisively so that the proper balance of power is restored between the Overseas Territories and the United Kingdom government, so that no Secretary of State or Governor will attempt to exceed their powers in this way again.

“It is for this reason that it is of vital importance that the matter is considered by “judicial review” and that there is a declaration in respect of the limits of power in respect of the authority to make taxes,” Kolodziej said.

He also pointed out that the matter of taxation without representation has been tried in the UK and the jurisprudence is, without exception, supporting both the Bill of Rights and the Petition of Right.

“This means that no tax can be legitimate unless it has been explicitly approved by parliament,” he reiterated.

Kolodziej pointed out that the only case in respect of the Territories is Campbell v. Hall and this supports the no taxation without representation case.

However, this case was decided before The Colonial Laws Validity Act was passed.

“After the passing of the colonial laws validity we can only rely on statutory arguments and no law can be made void upon common law principles,” Kolodziej said.

He made it clear that the Bill of continued 

February 18 - 24, 2012

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

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NATIONAL

NIB files motion to protect $10M – Quelch maintains that the $10M claim is disingenuous – Says CFO has since issued threatening correspondence to NIB

BY Vanessa Narine The National Insurance Board (NIB) will be challenging the Governor’s newly signed ordinance that makes legal the transfer of $10M from the national insurance fund on Monday at a court hearing in Grand Turk.

This was according to Chairman of the Board, Mr. Ervine Quelch, on Thursday afternoon at a press briefing at the NIB’s office in Provo at the Hilly Ewing Building, where he made it clear that the Governor’s claim of a $10M debt is disingenuous – a claim he called “unsubstantiated.”

He stated that Board has sought legal advice locally and internationally and has been advised that there are sound legal grounds to proceed with a challenge.

“We have been advised that the Governor has acted unconstitutionally,” Quelch.

The Chairman explained that the move to compulsorily acquire property of the NIB is contrary to the provisions made in Section 16 of the Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution.

Quelch further added that the Board had pursued this course of action, regrettably, but on sound advice to protect the interests of the NIB’s stakeholders.

According to him, the members of the Board will be in breach of their duties and can be held individually accountable for not acting in the best interests of the stakeholders.

He stated that the NIB had written a cheque for the $10M as demanded by the Governor, but on February 10th filed a motion with the Supreme Court to stay any further action by the Interim Administration with regards to movement of the funds.

Quelch stressed that the NIB had taken advice from “significant law specialists” in the United Kingdom before moving ahead with this action and is confident with this course of action.

Threats The Chairman also noted that another motion was filed on February 15th to prohibit “precipitous measures” by the Interim Administration in the absence of a court ruling.

When asked what “precipitous measures” he was referring to, Quelch noted that the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Hugh McGarelGroves had since issued threatening correspondences to the NIB Board.

He maintained that talk about firing the Board and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) could never be helpful in the current

Government to face ... continued

Rights and the Petition of Right are operative in the TCI by “necessary intendment”.

“This argument is as a result of these Acts being fundamental to the creation of the modern Monarchy and parliament itself.

In the event that they do not apply here we would have no Monarch and consequently the Crown would have no authority at all…these Acts have also been held to be constitutional Acts by the final court of appeal (the Supreme Court). This means that these particular Acts may only be amended or repealed by specific enactment...there is no question of implied repeal or amendment via later enactments,” Kolodziej posited.

Jerzy Kolodziej was born 5th Jan 63, London. He was married in St Mary’s Church, Grand Turk to Donna Brooker, daughter of Colin (deceased) and

Lucy Brooker nee Godet on the 29th Feb 1992 and at that time he became a Belonger under the prevailing law by marriage.

Kolodziej has worked in his own businesses for over 30 years in the Mechanical Engineering (HVAC/R) area and more recently in some retail ventures in addition. (Company Secretary and Director) and contends that he is affected by the current difficulties and illegalities in the same way as any other TCI Resident, Citizen or Belonger.

His background in law is academic and he has never been qualified to practice law or worked as a practitioner, except briefly by leave of the court in one particular matter.

According to him, the work he has put into this matter stands on its own merit and has favourable opinion from leading council in the area of constitutional law.

said.

He maintains that the current efforts being made are in the best interest of all the stakeholders at the end of the day.

Quelch pointed to the fact that the NIB felt “constrained” to seek legal advice once again, as it did when the Administration introduced Amnesty.

From left NIB Director Robert Brace, Chairman of the Board Ervine Quelch and Director Floyd Seymour

circumstance.

Quelch said, “We must protect ourselves.”

He added that the Board considers this matter of “significant and profound” importance since the money being moved is the money of the average man and having the court settle the matter once and for all is the best route to take.

Worthwhile Expense The Administration has peddled the criticism in the past week that the legal expenses incurred in advancing a challenge will cost the taxpayers.

However, Quelch stressed that it will be a worthwhile expense to protect the interest of the stakeholders.

He said the expense could be between $50,000 and $100,000.

The Chairman maintained that these costs pale in comparison to what is at stake, which is the $10M – what he described as preventing the “rape” of the insurance fund.

He said he hoped a “sensible arrangement” could be reached

between NIB’s lawyers and the Attorney General’s Chambers in the best interest of the people who contribute to the scheme.

Quelch explained that prior to legal action the Board and the Administration held lengthy negotiations over the issue where the NIB offered alternatives to moving the $10M from the insurance fund.

“The Board, mindful of the financial difficulties, made a number of proposals,” he said.

However, he noted that these suggestions were not met with any positive responses from the Interim Administration and the Governor went ahead to approve the new legislation.

The Chairman said the CFO has deemed the NIB’s disagreement of matters as the NIB being confrontational and uncooperative.

On the contrary, he said the NIB has been attempting to move forward along a commercially justifiable path, which serves the interest of its stakeholders.

“The Government is only one of the contributors to the NIB,” Quelch

Millions Owed The Chairman contends that the amnesty effectively wrote off $11.8M in government debt.

Governor Ric Todd granted amnesty to the TCIG and hundreds of businesses and people who owe penalties for not making their mandatory contributions to the National Insurance Board on time for their employees.

However, Quelch noted that the collection from the businesses and people amounts to a sum less that $4M. He noted that the NIB lost $15M to the amnesty and the transfer of another $10M will deal another blow to the insurance fund.

Quelch added that the Administration also owes the NIB and additional $3.5M for renting space at the Ewing Building in Provo and NJ Francis Building in Grand Turk.

“We are not making this up…. the Government’s debts are easily verifiable,” the Chairman said.

Quelch stated that the Board has taken a position to bring the matter to a close and that is what Monday’s legal proceedings are expected to see.

Nicky Turner functioned illegally for a year – Cartwright-Robinson

BY Vanessa Narine Director of Agriculture Nicky Turner functioned illegally according to Consultative Forum Member, Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson, who added that the passage of the Agriculture Bill 2012 only on Tuesday legalized his appointment.

“He was functioning without a legal basis,” she said.

The Agriculture Bill 2012 provides for the establishment and operation of a Department of Agriculture, and the appointment of a Director and staff to manage and administer the Department. Its passage is expected to ensure that the agriculture sector meets more of local food demand, reduce dependence on imports, and create employment, as part of its role in the ongoing recovery and future economic growth of the TCI. Cartwright-Robinson, in an invited comment, told the Weekly News that prior to this his appointment and authority was illegal.

Concerned stakeholders contend that Turner, who is now over

60-years-old, has collected thousands of dollars in his position as Director of the Agriculture Department in the last year and question the terms of his employment.

POLICY-INFORMED Cartwright-Robinson maintains that bills coming to the Consultative Forum must be policy informed to ensure efficiency.

“If we are doing something we ought to get it right the first time in the interest of all,” she said.

According to her, there were major challenges in approving the Agriculture Bill 2012, including technical questions that were unanswered because of the absence of such personnel to field questions from Forum Members.

The Agriculture Bill 2012 is intended to support the development of agriculture, a potentially important growth area for the TCI, according to a government press statement.

The Forum also voted to support the related Control of Animals Bill 2012, which transfers responsibility

for the control of animals, including the provision of pounds, from the Environmental Health Department to the new Department of Agriculture.

Tuesday’s meeting, according to the statement, also debated and supported amendments to the Integrity Commission Ordinance and accompanying Schedules. The amendments, among other things, change the filing requirements that apply to persons in public life; give the Commission and the Governor more flexibility in administering the Ordinance; and lower the threshold for the value of gifts that must be declared. One of the Schedules carries a list of the “Persons in Public Life” who are required to file returns, and the Commission has asked these persons to review and submit comments on the amendments.

Tuesday’s Forum meeting voted to defer debate on three Pensions Bills, a National Insurance Amendment Bill, and a Crown Lands Bill and the next scheduled meeting is on Tuesday, February 28th, 2012.

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TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

February 18 - 24, 2012

A Weekly News column that puts you on the spot for your opinions on the issues of the day

Was the governor right in ag case?

AFTER nearly two months since the complaint of assault was made against the Attorney General by prosecutor Leonard Franklyn, the Governor has announced that he received a report from the Commissioner of Police stating that following an investigation into the matter “no further judicial action is required and that this police file is now closed”.

Was it proper to allow the Commissioner of Police to make that determination, even after the Governor promised to appoint an independent investigator from another territory to examine the complaint?

Does the action of the Governor show high handedness and bias, and little regard for “justice seen and done” in the administration of this territory?

Demand answers

This matter should not be settled here and answers should be demanded.

There is an urgent need to quickly establish a Department of Public Prosecutions as is provided for in the 2011 Constitution.

The objective here is to ensure that there is some semblance of independence,impartiality, fairness, transparency and the like.

The problem is that a man of integrity does need any trapping and or institutional setting to do ‘the right thing’.

There needs to be some sense of justice in the

office, the minister of justice, the ostensible office of the Attorney General (AG) in the absence of there being such an office.

Fairness and calling the shots for what they are should be an innately required thing of holders of public office.

The problem that Leonard Franklyn faces is that is employed by the Attorney General and there is little that he can do short of destroying his career.

For what it counts Franklyn is committed to his job and has remained in the prosecutor’s office, against all odds, facing 10 per cent salary cuts, shortness in supplies and now the dubious

Judge rules in favour of Duncanson

Supreme Court Judge Margaret RamsayHale last Friday ruled in favour of Attorney Beryn Duncanson, in the matter where Duncanson filed a motion for a stay (knock out) of proceedings as an abuse of process.

Duncanson was arrested last year for indecently assaulting an expatriate female. He was questioned and released on $10,000 bail in connection with the matter, which reportedly occurred on June 25th, 2011.

The Attorney, also Managing Director and sole Shareholder of Flamingo Crossing Ltd, a community development in Providenciales, later filed a motion for a stay, which charged that there had been prosecutorial misconduct in abuse of executive power.

A significant point of interest in Duncanson’s motion was the prosecution’s neglect in providing a copy of a critical video recording of the incident in question.

Judge Ramsay-Hale concluded last Monday that there is no doubt that the police were under a duty to obtain the evidence and there was no doubt that they breached that duty.

“I am satisfied that there was culpable failure on the part of the police to obtain and retain the evidence,” Ramsay-Hale said in her ruling.

honour of underserved abuse.

One can be sure that the bad precedents set by the former premier in having the then AG sit on the case for 18 months, refuse to do anything and declare that there was “no public interest” in prosecuting the former Premier, is no precedent to be followed now.

That was an example of incompetence on the part of the then AG, the collusion of the Governor’s Office, evidence that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office were ‘hand in glove’ with the Mike Misick regime for their own purposes, which were not that of the TCI. The public was silent then and this silence, or fear of retribution for speaking out, is now coming back to haunt these islands at this time.

There is now needed a model of sensible protest, a national resolve by all that live here, native and expatriate, to join and speak with one voice against perceived or deliberate injustice.

It is time to stop the national hypocrisy and face the giants for who they are.

People need to challenge the sense of integrity of the Governor and the AG to force an investigation and not expect retribution and or negative from these public officers.

The concern is that a model of institutionalised fear, national hypocrisy, mass hiding behind shadows, concerted game playing, is fast becoming part of the TCI way of doing business.

Voice and support needs to be given to principled protest, where leaders, the public all sit at the table with the British and participate in finding answers for all the issues that affect these islands today.

Such a model would serve the islands when local government returns because the same pressure and attitude could continue to mount against the politicians, ending autocracy where powerful men are not answerable to anyone.

Let us see Leonard Franklyn ‘through a glass darkly’ where we ignore who he is, where he is from and who he votes for.

Let’s see him as a king, let’s see the man on the street as a king, so that when we offend him, when we attack him; we feel accountable, we give answers, we truly admit the wrong and let the chips fall where they may.

If these islands adopt this model of behaviour there would a massive transformation of how we see each other, of how we see elected and other leaders and the days of ‘might is right’ as it would seem in this case, would be over.

The London fog

Attorney Beryn Duncanson

According to the Judge, that defendant cannot have a fair trial with the loss of the recording, which might have provided critical information for the cross examination of the virtual complainant.

This was the primary reason, among others, given by the Judge before she ordered that the trial be stayed as an abuse of process.

Duncanson was represented by Lynden ‘Obi’ Pindling of the Bahamas.

Transparency is clouded by London fog.

We assume the AG is Franklyn’s boss because he is an attorney working in the Attorney General’s office.

This being the case one wonders how the scuffle happened in the first place.

Therefore, the police had to investigate.

When tempers cooled the Governor put Franklyn back to work in the AG’s office so we assume it all cooled down except for what was stirred up by media associates of those on the receiving end of looming prosecutions whose goal is to tear down the AG’s credibility.

The wheels turned in the police department, Franklyn was given the option to withdraw the complaint and all is peace again.

If the AG is aggressive that could be considered a good thing. I do not perceive rollypollyHuwShepheard as a hot head, but we just don’t know.

Double standard

Of course, a simple matter of assault could be overlooked for one of the big boys.

If the situation were reversed I am quite sure much more than court action would come of this story.

We have been seeing the same situation over the years. If you are white, you get an all pass.

Let us examine the facts, Reg Bodanya beat and spit on a young boy in Grand Turk for a fallen coconut. He was able to flee the country.

A local small fry at Atlas did a number of years behind bars for some $80,000 dollars while her white counterparts fled the country.

In another case, N. Blonsky’s dad physically assaulted a black woman for a chair on our international airport and walked away scot-free.

F. Neeheuis had illegal firearms one of which was stolen by an employee who was jailed, Mr Neeheuis was able to avoid sleeping in jail and the pleasure of having his weapons made legal after the fact.

A certain employee from Ambergris was found with cocaine in her possession who won her case, a Canadian woman was recently arrested for possession of cocaine and is still living in the country and has not been deported and her case is settled by the way.

I would not dare expect the Attorney General of this new South Africa of a Turks and Caicos to be treated as a normal person would in our judicial system.

Unanswered questions

The press statement from the Governor’s office leaves many unanswered questions.

Was the independent investigator appointed?

If so, what were the findings?

Was the report submitted to the Commissioner of Police and consequently advised that no further judicial action is required?

We do not know.

I would have expected the statement to refer to the findings of the independent investigator rather simply a message from the Commissioner of Police.

This action not only shows high handedness and bias and little regard for justice, but it clearly demonstrates in this territory when it comes to our justice system: when you are white, you are right.

There are too many examples. Leonard Franklyn was suspended but AG was not.

One British police officer was charged only $400 for killing a young girl while drinking and driving but a local was sentenced to jail for killing someone and the local was not even drunk.

A white man charged under SIPT is allowed to leave TCI but our locals who were born here and have no other citizenship are required to hand in their passports.

Therefore, we must conclude that there is bias in our justice system.

The people deserve a right to know about the findings of the independent investigator.

It is not too late Mr Transparent Governor.

Lead by example. Do not create a culture of no regard for the justice system in TCI when it comes to black vs white.

 Become a contributor Want to become a contributor or have a suggestion for a Talk Back topic for us? What questions do you think we should be putting to the public? And what are your thoughts on it?

Call our news team on 946 4664 or email tcweeklynews@gmail.com

February 18 - 24, 2012

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

7

NATIONAL

Abuse charges to be pressed against high school Principal Apology not enough - Quick Williams

BY VANESSA NARINE Justin ‘Quick’ Williams, father of the 15-year-old boy from Clement Howell High School who was flogged by the Principal Lloyd Fearon, maintained that an apology is not enough, adding that he will be pressing charges.

In an interview with the Weekly News, Williams stated that his son was unfairly punished and expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that the principal was still on the job after the alleged assault.

“My son was on his way to class and Mr. Fearon claims he was trying to disperse a group of students who were being loud in the corridor. The other children ran and my son was walking to class. He had nothing to run from so he continued walking and ended up being flogged,” William said.

According to him, the blows had to be delivered with some force since the uniform material is a thick material and still his son was badly bruised.

The irate parent noted that this happened between 13:30hour and 14:00 hours on February 8th and not knowing who to go to, since it was the Principal who punished him, his son remained until the end of the school day in pain.

He said, “When my son got home and called me he told me what happened, but I didn’t realize how serious it was till I got home.”

Williams said he made a report to the police station, after which he was accompanied by an officer to the hospital where a medical was done.

“Mr. Fearon came to the hospital because I called him repeatedly and when he finally got in touch with me he came to the hospital to apologize…an apology is not enough,” he stressed.

Williams added that the Principal at that time set a meeting with him for the next day at Education Department at 9:30hours, but later rescheduled the meeting to be held at the school.

“My son’s mother went with him because I was not in any state to meet with him. She and I are divorced and I have had custody of my son since he was three-years-old…Fearon made an official apology and she told the principal that she understood the

The teen’s bruised left leg

circumstances, but that is not how I feel,” he said.

Williams maintain that his sentiments are different and he will be pressing charges, because public servants must be held accountable for their actions.

He added that the entire incident is unacceptable, as well as comment made to his son by the Vice Principal, Mrs. Dean, who told the teen that he was a “big boy and a few lashes is not something to be crying over.”

“These unconcerned remarks are not acceptable,” Williams stressed.

According to him, another teacher witnessed the incident and reported the matter to the Education Department.

Reports are that the Education Department is compiling a report to

Injuries to the back of the 15-year-old’s right leg

be sent to authorities in Grand Turk.

The Weekly News contacted Principal Fearon who declined to comment on the matter, except to say that the Education Department Director, Mr. Edgar Howell, and the lawyer he retained, Mr. Mark Fulford, would be the better persons to field any questions of the matter.

The Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Association (CAPAA) has spoken out against the incident and in a statement noted that the Association is in communication with the Ministry of Education, Police Department and Social Development Department with regards to the status of the investigation.

The Association maintains that child abuse should not be tolerated under any circumstance.

Justin ‘Quick’ Williams maintain that his sentiments are different and he will be pressing charges, because public servants must be held accountable for their actions.

No firm assurance from Governor on budget consultations

By Vanessa Narine

Governor Ric Todd, when questioned at a press briefing last Wednesday, could not give the firm assurance that there would be consultation on the next budget that includes a cross section of stakeholders.

Todd stated that the budget has been a topic for discussion at many levels and pointed to his recent visit to the family islands, North and Middle Caicos.

According to him, the concerns raised during these outreaches inform where expenditures need to be made.

However, it was argued that these are informal discussions surrounding concerns of the community and not talks directly

addressing the next Budget.

The Governor did not comment further on the matter.

The Interim Government came in for much flack last time round since the Budget was approved without consultation, not even passed through the Consultative Forum.

DUE PROCESS

In an invited comment, Consultative Forum Member Sharlene CartwrightRobinson, stressed that this time around due process must be followed considering the importance of the budget to overall development.

She explained that last time around the Budget was presented to the Forum on Friday and they members were asked to debate it on Tuesday.

“This was not enough time and

I do not anticipate that we will not debate the budget – Sharlene Cartwright- Robinson

we asked that we debate this on Thursday, but that did not happen,” she said.

The Forum Member made it clear that the budget is too important to be rushed, stressing that due process must be respected.

Cartwright-Robinson noted that she did not expect the budget to be approved this time without the proper consultation.

“I do not anticipate that we will not debate the budget this year, unless the budget is given to us at the last minute…the Interim Government needs to follow the rules and respect due process,” she said.

According to her, there are other important stakeholders, too, who need to have a say in the way the budget looks, especially when the target is reaching a surplus budget.

8

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

February 18 - 24, 2012

NATIONAL

Consultations were successful – Cartwright-Robinson maintains that TCI people had their say

BY Vanessa Narine The public consultations on the Pathway to Citizenship ended on Friday and Forum Member Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson, who was present at many of these meetings said the consultations were successful.

In an invited comment, she told the Weekly News that the responses from the Turks and Caicos people had been consistent and the general consensus was that the people were welcoming of the opportunity to have a say in shaping the future of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

“What stood out was that they did not want this to be too much of an easy process and that persons, who eventually become citizens, show assimilation on the TCI,” she said.

Cartwright-Robinson maintained the TCI people insisted that there be some indication of the willingness of the expatriate communities to adopt to the customs and attitudes of the TCI. True assimilation, she said, began with being able to speak English as a requirement.

According to her, the consultations had also seen people speaking out against marriages of convenience, a prevalent practice to obtain citizenship and the acknowlegement that the country needs to make accommodation for skilled people that are needed to propel the move

the economy forward.

“What was clear is that the people want changes to the Pathway to Citizenship…they want to be able to say how the country should grow and the pace at which they want it to grow,” Cartwright-Robinson said.

A major concern voiced during these consultations was that at the end of the day the recommendations made would not be given much credence by the Interim Administration, and the Forum Member expressed the hope that this will not be the case.

She acknowledged that this sort of thing has happened before, where the views of stakeholders were disregarded and the Interim Administration moved ahead with its own plans.

LOCAL SAY Cartwright-Robinson maintained that the TCI people had their say and have put that on record.

“There was a consultation and the people had an obligation to be there and represent their views, which they did…it is on record that they have participated,” she said.

According to her, the Administration is sitting on a draft immigration bill, which came out of the Blue Ribbon report that was done in 2004.

“The recommendations made in that report are not much different from what we are hearing now,” she

said.

However, the Forum member acknowledged there had been changes in the immigration laws from 2004 to now.

On that note, CartwrightRobinson stressed that the Governor should not have made that issue one of the milestones.

Milestone Five is the implementation of a transparent and fair process for acquisition of Turks & Caicos Islander status.

“This should not have been a milestone. It is a housekeeping matter that should have been left up to the people,” she stressed.

This was also a bone of contention as Cartwright-Robinson contended that she was unaware of any mandate to engage the expatriate community in the consultations, even though the Forum Chairperson maintained that the Pathways to Citizenship consultations were not restricted to TCI Belongers.

With the close of the public consultations, an analysis of the responses on the matter is expected to be completed and the Consultative Forum would be involved in putting together an evaluation for the Governor. On this basis, a proposal for a new Ordinance will be drafted and the people of TCI will have a clear Pathway to Citizenship – a process that is expected to take some months.

Changes to certificate of good health in effect The Immigration Board has decided that the only evidence of good health to be accepted will be a letter from the National Health Insurance Board based upon a complete Certificate of Good Health that has been designed for the purpose.

The new requirement is now in effect for all applications, including applications for endorsement of spouses and dependents, but not for renewals.

A news release from the Board pointed out that in the past, negative blood test results for HIV and syphilis have been accepted as sufficient for that purpose.

The new requirement calls for the Certificate of Good Health to be signed by a licensed medical practitioner in the applicant’s country of residence, which will be checked

for accuracy and authenticity by a doctor nominated for the purpose by the National Health Insurance Board.

The news release said if a medical practitioner is unable to sign off the items contained in the Certificate of Good Health, then the person concerned is ineligible for consideration for a residence permit, work permit, or endorsement as a spouse or a dependent, and an application should not be submitted.

The form is expected to be forwarded to the medical practitioner by whom the applicant intends to be examined. A separate form is needed for a spouse and each dependent. Completed forms should be submitted for checking in an envelope addressed to the Secretary of the National Health Insurance Board.

The statement noted that if satisfied with the authenticity of the Certificate, the doctor nominated

by NHIB will issue to the applicant (or their employer) a letter addressed to Immigration Services confirming that the applicant is in good health. The letter from NHIB should then be included in the application as the required evidence of good health. No other evidence will be accepted.

It added that the new form may be obtained from Immigration Services offices in Grand Turk and Providenciales, or downloaded from the website of the Immigration Board –www.immigrationboard.tc .

All applications forms for work and residence permits must be accompanied by evidence of the applicant’s good health.

First batch of TCI top model 2012 hopefuls selected TWENTY-eight young ladies hoping to capture the coveted title of TCI Top Model 2012 have been recently selected but only 10 will advance to the finals.

At what was described as an impressive array of talent, 65 beautiful young ladies and equally attractive males turned out to audition on February 11 but only some made the cut.

The 2012 TCITM contest and fashion extravaganza’s contestants, models and talent search was held at the Culture and Arts Commission in Turtle Cove.

The event attracted not only persons who were taller, sleeker, fitter, more knowledgeable about fashion and rearing to go, but also many who had specialty skills in fashion design, dance, drama, make-up artistry and photography.

“In just a matter of weeks, new fashion stars will emerge from our third installment – Carnivalé: Culture. Music. Fashion!” said Courtney Robinson, the event’s executive producer.

This year’s top model winner will become the Digicel TCI brand ambassador for a year.

She will appear in all local television, print and billboard advertising campaigns, as well as making appearances at Digicel TCI events throughout her reign.

Additionally, the winner will also be a cover model and appear in an editorial spread of the 2012 Summer Times of the Islands magazine and have a profile page their sister publication, Destination: Turks and Caicos 2013.

“Everyone was desirous of this opportunity of a lifetime, a chance to showcase their talent, meet fashion modeling agencies, and the door that opens up to the fashion world,” Robinson stated.

He boasted that the TCITM committee has seen a yearly increase in talent auditioning for this glamorous and prestigious event and this year, the contestants did not disappoint.

“This year, we as a committee – are of the view that the calibre of persons that auditioned was indeed impressive,” he said.

Interested persons were encouraged to apply online or attend the audition with a positive attitude, ready to strut their stuff and impress the judges.

“Of the persons that applied online or we met at the auditions, we have short listed this from 65

Trinee Bethel

to 28 potential candidates to be groomed for the events, with 10 young ladies eventually moving on to compete in the 2012 TCITM contest.”

In the run up to the event, all talent will attend workshops on the fashion industry, personality and self-esteem, presentation skills, networking and interviewing skills.

They will also learn about branding and being a spokesperson, fitness and healthy eating, life in the media, and being an ambassador.

They will also receive runway training and participate in photoshoots.

“The workshops are fundamentally important,” Robinson said, “as it will give these young persons the tools they will need for this industry and meeting new people who can, and will make a difference in their lives.

“This training will go a long way whether they stay in fashion or wherever life takes them,” he added.

The organiser is therefore calling on persons in the business community to get behind this initiative, and help support this most rewarding and ambitious endeavour, “as in doing so, we all become a part of helping deserving individuals realise their fashion and creative dreams.”

The 2012 TCITM contest and fashion extravaganza will take place at the Williams Auditorium in Providenciales on Saturday, May 12.

February 18 - 24, 2012

& CrimeCourt

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

9

SIPT takes PNP leader and former minister to court LEADER of the PNP political party Clayton Greene and former minister of environment McAllister ‘Piper’ Hanchell were each granted bail when they recently appeared before the courts on charges brought by the Special Investigations Prosecution Team (SIPT).

Both defendants were released on $175,000 bail with conditions.

They must each surrender their passports to SIPT and report to their office at the Hilly Ewing building once a week.

In addition, they must live and sleep at an address identified to SIPT and notify the team of any travel outside the island on which they reside.

These were largely the same conditions that were imposed on four previously charged ex-ministers and five others.

Greene, an attorney, was accused of money laundering while Hanchell, a customs broker, faced two counts of conspiracy to receive bribes.

SIPT alleged that between October 6, 2007, and November 1, 2008, Greene entered into or became concerned in a money laundering arrangement.

SIPT prosecutor Mark Weekes said Greene had a false account with a fictitious name which in fact belonged to Floyd Hall.

A check for $1m from a North West Point transaction was made out to Quinton Hall and was deposited into the account at Greene’s law firm. However, the true beneficiary of the check was Floyd Hall.

Defence attorney George Missick appeared on behalf of Greene and mitigated for the waiver of Green’s bail conditions.

Missick urged Chief Magistrate

Clifton Warner to treat the case as an individual matter and not feel strained or bound to followed those before.

He asked the magistrate not to apply a “broad brush” approach when dealing with his client.

“He needs to travel. He is no child.

Why he has to notify SIPT to travel in his own country,” Missick enquired.

He informed the court, that Greene cooperated fully with the investigations, voluntarily went into SIPT and answered every question put to him.

“These are allegations not evidence,” Missick reminded the magistrate, “and they will be proven false.”

He stated that there was no suggestion that Greene kept any of the money for his own benefit.

He noted the Greene was a man of good character. He is a senior member of the Bar, past member of the Bar Council, former speaker of the House of Assembly and once served as Deputy Magistrate in the TCI. Missick felt that the bail conditions were designed to embarrass the accused.

“There is no reason for the defendant’s character to be subjected to these conditions until the court finds otherwise,” Missick opined.

Meanwhile, it was said that between August 1, 2003, and August 31, 2009, Hanchell, aged 42, conspired with former ministers Floyd Hall, Jeffrey Hall, former Premier Michael Misick and others to accept inducements.

These inducements, SIPT alleged, were unlawful corrupt payments received while serving as a minister

AG alleged assault dropped The alleged assault charge against Attorney General (AG) Huw Shepheard has been dropped, according to a press release from the Commissioner of Police.

According to Commissioner Colin Farquhar, who told the Weekly News that investigation, which was conducted by officer Kendol Charles, was completed.

“The matter was not pursued further on the request of the complainant,” Farquhar said.

He added that the case was closed, but will be available for reference in the event of similar future occurrences.

Reports are that on Thursday, December 1, a loud vocal altercation between the AG and veteran prosecutor Leonard Franklyn turned physical.

At the mid-December press conference, the Governor had

Attorney General Huw Shepheard

said, “In these circumstances (where the AG is being investigated) we will arrange to have the police report, when it is completed, to be reviewed by an independent council.”

However, with the closure of the case file, no such action will be taken.

Clayton Greene appeared relaxed and told reporters that he has given no consideration to stepping down as leader of the PNP

McAllister Hanchell got into his vehicle and left without answering any questions after the hearing.

of the Crown to induce Hanchell to act in a way contrary to ordinary rules of conduct expected of a minister of TCI Government.

Weekes asked that the case against Hanchell be adjourned until April 17, which would afford him the time he needs to go through the 25,000 pages of information against the former minister.

Litigator Alexander Heylin told Magistrate Warner that his client Hanchell knew of the large number of arrests and charges brought against some his former colleagues

and others last year.

He knew that he was likely to be a subject and in fact was surprised that he was not among the first batch of ex-ministers charged.

Yet, he made no attempt to flee the TCI nor move any of his assets offshore, Heylin said.

When SIPT approached him at his office on February 2, Hanchell voluntarily submitted himself to an interview a few days later, even though he exercised his common law right to silence.

He also willingly surrendered his

passport to SIPT and they released him on his own recognisance.

Heylin petitioned the magistrate to vary Hanchell’s bail conditions from the others since “he is in a slightly different position from the others”.

He asked the court to waive the notification of inter-island travel, release Hanchell on his own recognisance and discard the reporting condition all together.

The attorney reiterated that his client has no offshore bank account and all his property and interests are here in the TCI and there was no evidence that he was a flight risk.

The court heard that Hanchell must to travel to other islands in the capacity of his job, as well as visit his mother and other relatives in South Caicos.

“He has always cooperated so the surrendering of the passport condition is not necessary either,” Heylin stated.

“I prefer to keep a level of consistency,” Magistrate Warner replied before imposing the bail and bail conditions on both defendants.

The men will appear in the Providenciales Supreme Court on April 17 along with the nine previously charged with the same allegations for a sufficiency hearing.

Five Cays couple freed of drug charges CIARRA Cox and her boyfriend Delano Ferguson were found not guilty of possession of illegal drugs after a four-day trial in the Providenciales Supreme Court this week.

A seven-member jury panel consisting of six women and one man returned the unanimous verdicts on Thursday (February 16).

Cox, 23, and Ferguson, 28, were accused of simple possession and possession with intent to supply.

It was alleged that on May 12, 2009, Cox and Ferguson possessed 352.92 grams of cannabis and 16.09 grams of cocaine and that they intended to supply the drugs to others.

The couple denied the allegations and the trial commenced on Monday before Justice Joan Joyner.

Senior Crown Counsel Leonard Franklyn led the prosecution, while attorney Clinton Clarke represented Cox and attorney Benson Harvey represented Ferguson.

The prosecution led evidence from eight police officers while the defence team offered no evidence.

The court heard that at 6.30am on May 12, 2009, several police officers executed a search warrant on Theresa Cox’s premises in Five Cays to search for illegal drugs.

They asked the four occupants of the house to gather in one area and the search began from the back to the front of the house.

Present was Theresa Cox, her husband and her son.

In a room at the front of the house, one of the officers saw a multi coloured baby bag in a closet.

The woman told the police that the room belonged to her daughter but the girl had since moved out.

Detective Calbert Baker said that he opened the bag and immediately smelt a strong scent like that of cannabis.

He removed a black plastic bag from the baby bag and found that it contained another plastic bag with three sandwich-sized zip lock bags with the illegal drugs.

When asked, Cox said that the bag belonged to her daughter Ciarra but she offered no comment about the drugs.

An officer was dispatched to fetch Ciarra Cox and when she arrived she admitted that the bag belonged to her. However, she, like her mother said nothing concerning the drugs.

Another officer pulled a Nestle Nestum can from the baby bag. In it, the officer found more cannabis, a quantity of cocaine and $2,150 wrapped in a sheet of paper.

Cox’s son said: “I wish I knew money was there because we broke.”

Suspecting that the money was proceeds from the sale of drugs, the police seized it and arrested the entire household including Ciarra.

Ferguson was also later arrested and he reportedly admitted to the police: “They do not know about it. I put it there yesterday.”

Crime scene investigators found

the female defendant’s fingerprint on the Nestum can.

They also found a police officer’s prints because they were not wearing gloves during the search.

Attorney Clarke argued that, the police contaminated the crime scene and inferred that they planted his client’s fingerprint on the can.

He entered a no case to answer submission stating that, there was no evidence of knowledge and possession linking to his client.

The prosecutor thought however, that the case should be left to the jury to decide since the case was based on circumstantial evidence in which reasonable inferences could have been drawn.

The fact that the bag was found in Theresa Cox’s home in a room which the prosecution inferred was occupied by Ciarra - coupled with the fact that the Nestum can belonged to her because her fingerprint was found on it, strengthened the case.

Justice Joyner ruled that the matter should be left to the jury and they acquitted the elated couple.

Cox, a mother of two infants, walked out of the courtroom a free woman.

“I am overwhelmed with the verdict,” she said with a broad smile.

Ferguson, however was whisked back to the Grand Turk Prison where he is currently on remand in another matter.

He also was thrilled with the verdict.

10

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

February 18 - 24, 2012

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February 18 - 24, 2012

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

11

12

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

February 18 - 24, 2012

We welcome letters from all members of the public on a variety of topics.

VAT is too dangerous

Dear Editor, I must say that I am extremely concerned about the state of affairs in the TCI and the introduction of Value Added Tax (VAT) to these islands.

The concerns being expressed here are really directed at the new system that is being imposed on the people of the TCI - VAT and the imposition of these horrendous taxes to pay for what others have done.

However, there are a number of urgent questions on VAT that must be addressed and answered before the system is unduly implemented in these islands.

In sum the system as proposed does not fit, it may require public review and informed commentary by the people.

VAT systems are really ideal for countries that manufacture.

Signals coming from the interim government are that they are not interested in protecting local industry and manufacturing at all but would rather opt for reliance on imports.

It would also seem that in other VAT systems the tax is imposed where there is no value added, no real manufacturing and can be attached where costs of transportation,

distribution and shelving.

In the example where the importer brings a shirt into the islands, pays for shipping and transportation, there is no ‘real’ value being added.

All that happens is that the cost of placing the shirt on the shelf is assessed and governments seek to tax those costs.

This is not real, not fair and serves to imbed into the sale of goods process, artificial extra costs that serves to hurt the consumer.

The real result can be a reduction in sales, reduced consumption and very little revenue going into the government treasury.

Indeed a large part of VAT involves the consumer seeking refunds, the distributor taking rebates and a good deal of the money going back outwhich would not be so bad.

However the concern is that in the TCI as in Western Europe VAT could result in huge public debt because of budgetary shortfalls resulting from informal transactions on the increase, weak collection systems, the entire getting to learn the process route and a culture shock.

It is possible that the government of the TCI could collapse if this form of taxation is implemented.

It is probably not a reliable form of alternative revenue collection.

Where VAT results in an increase of net taxes, the public will consume less and fewer monies will go to the Treasury.

The TCI has been under attack by the OECD for a long time, in the 1990s with their arguments that the islands with its “tax free status” which is ending and customs duties is engaging in “unfair tax competition”.

So the pressure was on from the late 90s to end the tax haven status of these islands, reduce bank confidentiality and to change the entire tax base from collecting on imports to collecting on consumption.

The problem with that is people will probably now reduce spending locally, spend less, shop less, consume less and in many cases do without.

Stores, retailers, supermarkets could decline and there could be a further 50 per cent drop in the TCI economy. The interim government states that VAT has worked in other Caribbean countries.

We can point to Europe and show the UK which has amassed a lot of

debt and Moody’s, the investment rating agency, is about to down grade the credit rating of the UK. VAT in the UK where they state has successfully worked is not working there.

Right now the public should be asked what they wish to pay. VAT or customs duties: which will it be?

The Chief Financial Officer should state what rates of taxation they are thinking of imposing.

It is possible that at this stage of the financial year in the TCI, that the taxes already imposed are having a negative impact on the islands.

Arrivals seem low and many businesses are reporting seriously low sales.

It is possible that the destination has become too expensive for many of us.

Marketing is hurt because repeat visitors are not returning and travellers are looking for less expensive destinations.

While the islands are getting it right the people and the economy are suffering and all of this tax talk is not helping at all. In fact it is hurting more than helping.

However, if VAT would result in a net reduction of taxes across

Acts of irresponsibility

Dear Editor, Turks and Caicos Islanders hold the balance of power in the Turks and Caicos Islands but not only fail dismally to realise it but irresponsibly act to the detriment of country and fellow TCIs! The issue of unemployment is so commonly talked about that not only is it a household topic but a topic that is talked about in social clubs, nightclubs, hair salons and even at the coffee stands under the gathering tress.

And guess what, there is absolutely nothing that we as a people can or is willing to do about it. Yes, absolutely nothing.

That is abuse by the visitorworker, abuse by the approved work permit worker, abuse by the ‘government-stamp’ worker, abuse

by boss-for-hire fee paying worker, abuse by the TCIG, abuse by the border control, and abuse by the labour department.

It is a known fact that persons on temporary stays or work permits are free to roam the streets in search of employment even though we all know that it is a violation of the immigration entry permission.

It is a known fact that persons on ‘government-stamp work permits’ are gainfully employed at other organisations such as security guards, hotels or even other government jobs.

And more, we have TCIs under the disguise of being ‘employers” (boss-for-hire) who unwittingly secure work-permits for individual for a ‘fee’ very well knowing

LETTERS SHOULD BE KEPT TO A MAXIMUM OF 450 WORDS

that they do not have jobs for these individuals and will let these ‘special class’ work permit holders go out and compete against indigenous TCIs for work.

And most times these very individuals do displace TCIs on jobs.

Now that is indeed blatant abuse!

By whom? Us all, almost everybody to be candid!

But wait a minute the TCIG, border control, labour and immigration departments. How can our regulatory bodies be in violation of the legislative laws they are supposed to enforce?

Let us all be honest here and follow me around the corner.

How many foreign workers are employed by TCIG? I know of the cleaners in labour and TC Invest – irresponsible - just to mention two,

and I am sure there are many, many others.

Still in line with the truth, border control representative Ms Gardiner when asked about unnecessary work permit issuance responded: “You TCIs is the ones who apply for the permits” irresponsible.

Still in line with the truth, labour department lacks due diligence in investigative efforts and review, and recklessly issues work permits irresponsible.

Still in line with the truth, in all of this the immigration department is asleep.

Visitors and visitor-workers seem to have carte blanche, no due diligence or enforcement was evident - irresponsible as usual.

Labour department controls work

the board, where the pockets of the consumers are under less stress, VAT may be a good thing.

However, if as many fear, it may increase the cost of living, this attack on savings; may reduce consumption, hurt savings, decline the economy, then VAT is a bad thing.

The consumer and public officer are already under tax attack, the interim government is admonished to rethink this possible economic disaster.

The chairperson of the Consultative Forum, the Chamber of Commerce on Providenciales and Grand Turk, the CFO, the PS Finance, the CFO, community leaders on all islands, should all lead on further public consultations on this issue.

It would be a terrible thing if consumer behaviour is so uniformed, resulting in reduced consumption and savings, there may be reduced revenues going to government owing to the inflationary effects of this VAT system.

One should not contemplate a collapse of the TCI Government at this time.

Samsune Taylor

and work permits. Immigration department controls entry and movements of all people.

The last time I was aware, labour and immigration were controlled by TCIs, then why are the labour and people movements not controlled?

Having the requisite power and failing to use it is a failure to your people!

It is my understanding that the new labour, work permit plan for succession was once an effort of the former Deputy Premier and nothing ever happened for real implementation - again irresponsible.

I now wonder that if with the massive unemployment in the country, will there be a difference?

Regards, Edward E Smith

Please note that all submissions are subject to editing in keeping with defamation laws and newspaper style. Letters should be accompanied by the author’s full name, location and phone number. Names will be withheld if requested.

February 18 - 24, 2012

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

13

NATIONAL

Davia Chambers to return for TCI top model 2012 contest FORMER PTV news anchor and TCI’s first top model winner Davia Chambers is set to return to the TCI to appear in this year’s top model contest and fashion extravaganza.

The event’s executive producer Courtney Robinson confirmed that the Trinbagonian born beauty will grace the runway at this year’s themed event: Carnivale: Culture.

Music. Fashion!

The extravaganza is slated to take place at the Williams Auditorium in Providenciales on Saturday, May 12.

Since being named TCI Supermodel 2009, Chambers has been setting the fashion and pageant world on fire.

In 2010 she won the Miss World Trinidad and Tobago pageant and represented her country at the Miss World 2010 in Sanya, People’s Republic of China.

Most recently, in August 2011, the multi-talented Chambers bested 11 other young women and walked away with the Miss Jamzone International pageant crown at the Splashmins Fun Park and Resort in Guyana, winning $10,000.

The 5’10” Caribbean beauty has worked with many internationally known fashion designers and photographers and graced the catwalks in some of the most sought

after fashion shows both in the Caribbean and internationally.

She also appeared on the cover of Nu Woman magazine and was featured on the cover, and in an editorial spread for Times of the Islands, Destination: Turks and Caicos Islands and Discover Turks and Caicos.

Added to those, she did various magazine spreads including Caribbean Belle, Trinidad Express ‘Woman Magazine’, Newsday mentality, Caribbean Woman and Kencar Magazine.

Not just a pretty face and a flawless physique, this ambitious young lady is the chief editor of her own fashion and lifestyle magazine called Flaunt Tobago.

She has plans to continue modelling and her continuous passion will be in helping vulnerable children in any way possible.

When asked about returning to the TCI, the beauty queen said: “I am quite elated and anxious to return to the TCI, especially for their top model competition.

“Knowing that it was there where I began my modelling career and returning to grace the same stage brings me pleasure.

“I am looking forward to the event and to all the contestants: good luck,

I cannot wait to meet you!”

Currently, Chambers is a part time model, doing runway, print and promotional modelling for Digicel.

Continuing from where she left off at PTV Channel 8, Chambers is the news anchor and reporter at Tobago Channel 5. What is more, she is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications.

“Everything that Davia Chambers has achieved thus far is a testament that should you dedicate yourself, have the personality along with the physical attributes, and truly believe wholeheartedly in your potential, anything is possible,” said Robinson.

“We as a committee are very proud of and happy for Davia, and are honoured that she will be returning to grace the stage where she won ‘Best Body’ and ‘Best Runway’.

“Davia has been doing a remarkable job on the international scene. We wish her continued success in life, and cannot wait to see her come May 2012!”

This hotly anticipated extravaganza is expected be more fabulous than before, with a bevy of prizes, surprises, top performers, fashion modelling agencies and guest appearances - with the main attraction being the 2012 TCI top model contest.

This dynamic beauty, who began her modelling career in the TCI, believes that the key to success is humility

Stunned!

COMMENTARY

I could not believe it but after giving pause on Saturday night the TV here in Conch Bar told the story, Whitney Houston was dead and only 48 years old. What a performer! She will remain an icon for all of popular music to recall.

It seems one of her greatest hits, “The Greatest Love of All” provided a lesson she herself was unable to embrace, learning to love yourself. We will never be able to see into her heart to reflect on the flaw that brought her to embrace Bobby Brown and the culture that brought her to drugs and the eventual demise of her career, the ruination of her health and most probably her premature death.

In this, she joins others from Judy Garland to Elvis and Jimmy Hendricks. It seems the rise to stardom sometimes dooms those

By David Tapfer who fail to learn the same lesson.

I often go to “YouTube” and listen to Whitney’s US National Anthem Performance at the Super Bowl the year of Desert Storm. She set an unachievable standard never to be equaled.

She certainly had her “One Moment in Time” over and again. For me she will now join Ella Fitzgerald, and few others as female vocalists who rose above all the rest. In the movie “The Bodyguard” Whitney

sang Dolly Parton’s “I will always Love You” and brought this simple, beautiful song back to unexpected heights.

One can only wonder why Ms. Houston was unable to sustain from the wonderful roots of her mother gospel singer Cissy Houston, cousin Dionne Warwick and godmother Aretha Franklin. We fully expected that someday she would have a comeback and be able to mellow out as she moved into senior status but now dead at 48 that will never be!

Few know about another stunning performance that happened last week right here in Middle Caicos at Doris Robinson Primary School when the students performed for Governor Todd. They celebrated Queen Elizabeth’s 60 year rein message of “togetherness” when they flawlessly performed the song “Side by Side” They then sent

a message with “This Land “ with lyrics “This land is your land, this land is my land from Providenciales to the Grand Turk Island”.

Finally, they told him “That only Youth can meet the Countries needs” in a recycled, rewritten version of the Platters hit tune “Only You”. Flawless performances all, by the boys and girls of Middle Caicos.

(Whitney’s career began at 5 years of age) Present at this Middle Caicos

meeting was Governor Todd, Principle Keisha Mills, the small faculty, Neil Smith and District Commissioner Dottis Arthur.

Later in the day after Governor Todd’s public meeting Ms. Arthur reflected on the students’ performance when she closed the meeting and told the assembly about what she had seen and heard early that morning... “I was stunned”

14

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

February 18 - 24, 2012

NATIONAL

autism awareness

Whatever obstacle, overcome and continue to follow your dreams

By Nicole Cox, a mother living with autism

Over 1,200 students hear one athlete’s story of hope, dreams and perseverance More than 1,200 students at the Sandals Foundation sponsored schools sat intently this week to listen to Rick Ball, Canadian Paralympic Athlete and three-time world record holder, deliver an exceptional motivational speech on overcoming obstacles.

Ball lost his left leg below the knee in a motorcycle accident near his home in Ontario in 1986 and is no stranger to overcoming adversity.

During his speech at Clement Howell High and Enid Capron Primary, he spoke about the importance of dreams, perseverance, and having confidence in one’s own abilities to overcome obstacles and achieve goals.

Rick, commenting on his inspiration speech at the schools, said, “It feels great to be able to share my story about overcoming challenges… it is important that the kids know that whatever obstacle they face, they can overcome and continue to follow their dreams just like I have and I am living proof of that.”

Ball began long distance running in 2007, under the guidance of Orillia coach Roger De Plancke.

He has since been carded as an elite Para-athlete by Athletics Canada in the T44 category and has competed in several half and full marathons alongside able-bodied runners, including the 2009 Boston Marathon. In 2010, he broke the three-hour barrier for the marathon in a time of two hours, 57 minutes and 47 seconds, a first for a singleleg amputee. He also holds the fastest time in the world for the 10,000 meters and the half-marathon.

Ball is quite familiar with the Sandals Foundation and its projects. He has

Josiah, aged four

“Crime and Punishment” part one

Rick Ball, center, with his sons and the Clement Howell High Physical Education teacher Charles Forbes

also been actively working with the foundation to promote literacy, sports and motivation in Antigua. He has headlined two of the foundation’s transAntigua half marathon race at sister property Sandals Grand Antigua raising over ten thousand for the charity.

PR Manager for the Sandals Foundation, Elanor Finfin Krzanowski, also commenting on the successful event, said, “Rick Ball has truly been an inspiration and when he recounts his story, you begin to understand the power of perseverance…his story of

overcoming life’s challenges can apply to anyone facing obstacles whether it’s reaching an educational goal or a personal one…I am happy he has taken time away from his family vacation to speak to our students.”

Today Rick Ball shares his story as a motivational speaker for corporate audiences, hospitals, running clubs and Sandals Foundation sponsored schools across the Caribbean including Turks & Caicos based Clement Howell High and Enid Capron Primary.

Blue Hills community clinic opens – Promise of increased primary health care for residents Government demonstrated its increased focus on primary health care with the opening of the Blue Hills Community Clinic on Providenciales, last Friday (February 10th).

According to a news release, this facility will join the Primary Health Care Clinic at the Cheshire Hall Medical centre in providing residents with preventative, holistic and patient-centered care.

Initial services include Antenatal, Child Health and Family Practice Clinics and various healthy lifestyle and health promotion programmes. There will also be home visits and community outreach.

In welcoming this development Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health Judith Campbell said, “Primary health care is an important part of TCI’s health services and the Ministry plans to place increased focus on this area moving forward.

We believe community clinics should be a first stop for persons seeking health care.

This way we can focus on prevention and early treatment and reduce future expenditure on secondary health care. The community clinics will allow the major hospitals on Grand Turk and Povidenciales to better fulfill their purpose of providing secondary health care.”

The Ministry has stressed that all

primary health care services at the Blue Hills Community Clinic are free of charge; medications and other associated medical services will be handled according to established procedures.

The Ministry has also expressed “special thanks’ to the Department for International Development (DFID), TCI Government, and the Department of Engineering and Maintenance Services (EMS) for their partnership and support in renovating the Clinic.

The Blue Hills Community Clinic will operate from 8:00am – 4:00pm weekdays with extended hours from 8:00am – 8:00pm on Mondays and Thursdays.

I am going to introduce you to a very important person in the Cox family life. Ms. Tameika Meadows, M.Ed is the Supervising Therapist for the Dawn Program for Autism. She writes all of the programs for the children and oversees the execution of said programs via phone, Skype or email conference. She also conducts parent and professional workshops designed to educate persons in the policy and procedure of Applied Behavior Analysis using Verbal Behavior tracks and Sensory Integrative approaches. With over 10 years of experience in this field, her guidance has been deeply instrumental in constructing a learning environment for Josiah in which we can systematically design and track his progress. Her blog can be found at www.ILoveABA.blogspot.com and it is a wealth of information for any parent desiring to find effective modes of behavior management. Let’s examine a recent post she gave on this subject of “Time Out” .

“Time Out is a very misunderstood and overused behavioral management technique. When I first meet with a parent, therapist, or teacher and ask what behavior techniques they currently use, time out is usually stated pretty quickly. Then when I ask if Time Out is effective, I hear “no/sometimes/maybe”. There seems to be this mysterious cloud surrounding time out that people can’t break through in order to really understand the procedure. That is unfortunate because the very people who use time out the most tend to be the ones who don’t really understand it. Time out is a concept that seems to be very simple and straightforward, but if that were true it wouldn’t be implemented incorrectly so often. Time Out is a punishment technique, and punishment can be positive or negative. Time Out is a negative punishment because you are removing (not adding) something. Many people don’t know when they say the phrase “Time Out” they are using an abbreviation. The full name is Time Out from Reinforcing Activities.

Once you understand that, then you can see how putting little David in time out during homework time because he refuses to do his homework will not be effective at all. You must be able to identify and then isolate the reinforcement embedded in an activity for Time Out to be effective.

In other words, the “Time In” environment must be reinforcing to the child before you can implement “Time Out”. Another cloud of mystery around Time Out is regarding the rules of how to do it. I have been in a variety of settings and seen Time Out done a variety of ways, and often the parents or teachers will report confusion about the “rules” of Time Out. People describe some very creative Time Out rules to me that range from odd to confusing. Not surprisingly, many of these rules have no merit. These rules are not based in research, and are not written in stone anywhere. They are just passed from person to person, spreading incorrect information. The biggest guidelines to remember about Time Out are: Time Out is not supposed to be humiliating, or degrading to the child. Time Out is not supposed to be excessive. The child cannot leave Time Out if they are still engaging in the inappropriate behavior.

It should be clear to the child why they are in Time Out. Time Out (like any punishment technique) is not a replacement for teaching skills.”

For more information on autism email: DawnProgram@gmail.com Next Week: “Crime and Punishment, pt 2.”

February 18 - 24, 2012

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

15

NATIONAL

Annual Star Awards 2011 nominees announced The Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association (TCHTA) is getting ready for the annual ‘Star Awards’ event and have announced this year’s awardees.

The 2011 TCHTA Star Awards nominees are:

• The Heart of Hospitality – Mario Campbell (Beaches); Augustine Pierre (Grace Bay Club); Charles Saintilma (Point Grace); Vanderlean Fulford (Meridian Club); Marilou Fernando (Regent Grand); Desta Lawrence (Regent Palms); Theodore Steplin (The Sands); Arnalda Beukenboom (Veranda); Pierre Jacques Jean (Windsong) • Employee of the Year – Evan Williams (Grace Bay Club); Rochelle Glinton (Ocean Club); Elanor Finfin Krzanowski (Beaches); Ducardo Delancy (Parrot Cay); Calvin Mariano (Regent Grand); Eulon Stubbs (Regent Palms); Tiersa Smith (The Sands); Madeline Rojas

(Veranda); Celo Lightbourne (Villa Renaissance) • Ambassador of the Year – Alicia Barnett (Windsong); Lynco Williams (Villa Del Mar); Roselaure Forbes (The Sands); Alvin Glinton (Regent Palms); Synara Black (Regent Grand).

The event will take place on the evening of Thursday, February 23rd, 2012.

Throughout the evening, winners from 15 different categories will be announced and presented with engraved crystal trophies and various sponsor-donated gifts.

Karen Whitt, President of the Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association, said, “The TCHTA organizes several events and activities throughout the year, but the Star Awards event is a truly special one. We are fortunate to have many incredibly talented individuals working in the hospitality industry here in the Turks & Caicos Islands, and this ceremony recognizes those

persons and organizations that put extra heart and soul into their day-today jobs. Rewarding those top performers who excel at what they do is important not only to the hospitality industry, but also key for continued improvement and growth for the tourism industry as a whole.”

This year, the Star Awards will take place at the beautiful Veranda Resort. The TCHTA aims to put on a grand event, complete with a tasty buffet-style dinner, drinks and entertainment, with special performances by Barbara Johnson and Shara Bowen & Soul Redemption.

The Star Awards aims to recognize and reward those who go above and beyond the call of duty in the hospitality industry here in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Over the past couple of weeks, members of the TCHTA have been carefully selecting and nominating their employees and colleagues who they feel has earned the need for this special recognition.

First ever cancer care unit opens in TCI CANCER patients in the TCI can now enjoy a significant decrease in their medical expenses, thanks to a much anticipated cancer care unit, set to be launched at the Cheshire Hall Medical Centre in Providenciales.

This ground-breaking unit, which will open its doors to patients later this month, signals a milestone for the TCI, since it is the country’s first ever oncology clinic, a recent release said.

It is expected to put an end to frequent and costly overseas trips and provide much needed care for those who cannot afford to travel.

Until now, cancer sufferers in the TCI have been forced to go off-island for both consults and treatment, which has been a traumatic burden for both patients and their family members.

It has also proved an expensive and inconvenient process for all concerned.

The opening of the cancer care unit means sufferers can now receive expert care and attention on their doorsteps through regular clinics and consultations with chemotherapy usually provided on island.

To mark the opening, islanders are being invited to a public meeting at Cheshire Hall Medical Centre on Monday, February 27, at 5pm.

Under the theme Cancer – Causes, Treatment and Prevention, speeches will be delivered by world renowned cancer experts, Professor Arthur Porter from Canada and UK-based Professor Karol Sikora, who jointly head the specialist oncology team

Professor Arthur Porter

working with InterHealth Canada.

The project has been developed by InterHealth Canada, in conjunction with the TCI Government, Ministry of Health, NHIP and The Cancer Centre of the Bahamas.

Patients will be provided with clinical consultations and provision for additional diagnosis where necessary.

There will also be chemotherapy services available using the hospital’s recently installed state of the art chemotherapeutic admixture unit.

The treatment will be administered utilising the staff and skills of the Bahamas Cancer Centre, the only

cancer centre in the Caribbean accredited by the American College of Radiation Oncology.

Radiotherapy services will still require off-island stays and will be co-ordinated with NHIP. InterHealth Canada chief executive, Dr Roger Cheesman said the launch of oncology services marks another huge step forward in the provision of healthcare in the TCI. He added: “We are delighted to bring yet another service to these beautiful islands and ensure that the best possible care can be provided to our patients.

“We hope that the commencement of this clinic and chemotherapy treatments will dramatically reduce the stress so often encountered by patients and families, who find the need to travel overseas for care an added worry”.

Professor Porter, director of radiation oncology at The Cancer Centre, Bahamas, and chairman of CancerPartners UK, explained: “There are too many unnecessary tragedies among our people.

“Understanding the importance of prevention, early detection and treatment can turn a historically fatal illness into an illness which can be cured.”

He committed his team to ensuring the very best of care to the population of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Places are limited for the public meeting, so call and book your reservation today.

this week

Friday, February 17 to Thursday, February 23 Friday, February 17  From 5:00pm - 7:00pm dance under the stars and get your groove on at Ashcroft while a DJ plays your favorite tunes!

Dinner and drinks on sale for kids and adults. Fun raffles / games and a GREAT time overall with friends and family! Wear your Valentine’s red!!! See you there!

Call Kelcey for inquiries | 246 6234

opposite Lime on the Leeward Highway in Providenciales, from 10am to 2pm.

Persons will be able to purchase freshly grown produce and locally sourced items.

For more information on the Weekly Community and Farmers’ Market call (649) 247-8911. With regard to the TCI Red Cross’ services or how you can volunteer or donate, contact our Provo office on (649) 941-8056 or email redcrossprovo@tciway.tc OR for Grand Turk call (649) 946-2761 or Email:tciredcross@tciway.tc  Danny Buoy’s is Provo’s premier live music and sports destination, serving lunch and dinner daily from 11:30am.

It is the perfect place to escape from the heat and hang with friends, all in smoke free air-conditioned comfort.

Happy Hour specials from 4-7pm Monday-Saturday

 If you’re looking for a serene and relaxed way of starting your weekend, bring your yoga mat at Graceway Sports Centre every Saturday at 9am and let David Bowen lead you into the wonderful world of yoga!

Amazing fees for an amazing class!

More info at 442-6348”  Mums and Tots Dance Party classes are held every Saturday at Graceway Sports Centre for mothers and their little ones.

Mothers, bring your little ones to dance, jump, twist and shake! Children have fun learning movement basics to fun music and mums get a light exercise while spending quality time. Mums and Tots classes begin at 10am and cost just $10. Dads are welcome!

Call Shara Bowen on 244-1103 for more details.

 Get into the weekend mood with the intense and electrifying Tae-Bo class at Graceway Sports Centre from 6pm to 7pm. Free for fitness members, $12 for non-members.

Visit www.gracewaysports.com for more information or call 442-6349.

Sunday, February 19

 Craig Archibold gets the party started at the Regent Palms from 7pm on Friday nights with the sound of classic Caribbean and Motown tunes. Call 9468666 for details

Saturday, February 18  Turks & Caicos Reef Fund announces their first fundraising event to be held on the 18th of February 2012 at the Veranda Resort from 5:00pm to 8:00pm The evening will feature light hors’ doevres and a cash bar. There will be silent auction items and a feature raffle for two people to enjoy a beautiful Parrot Cay 2 night/3 day visit. Tickets for the raffle are $20. Admission to the event is $30.00.

For more information or to buy tickets contact David Stone at 346-3111.  The Weekly Community and Farmers’ Market organised by TCI Red Cross is on at the organization’s headquarters,

 Rotary Bingo has a new home at CLUB PILLOWS in the Bight next to Smokey’s (Opposite Veranda Resort) EVERY SUNDAY! Doors open at 7:00 pm

Thursday, February 23  Weekly Foreign a Fare night every Thursday at the Bohio Dive Resort (Grand Turk) from 6:30 p.m. Each week different dishes from a different region in the world.

Previous nights have included: Italian, Spanish, English, Indian, Chinese, Moroccan, South African and Thai.

For details, call 946-2135 or go to www.bohioresort.com946-2135

Got an event you wish to advertise?

Call us on 946 4664 or email tcweeklynews@ gmail.com for a free listing.

Lifestyle...

16

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

February 18 - 24, 2012

The Dentist and you 

Dental whitening A bright, white smile is an asset for anybody, professionally and personally. White teeth are associated with youth, as well as cleanliness and health.

You may have noticed as you get older that your teeth have changed colour; they lose some of their whiteness and started to take on a more yellow/ brown or grey colour.

This is normal and comes with aging, as the tooth enamel becomes worn and less translucent due to tiny micro-cracks and the dentine inside

Linguini with Cashews and Scallions

Dr Mark Osmond the tooth becomes thicker and darker.

Dental whitening (or ‘bleaching’) is a cosmetic procedure which uses hydrogen peroxide to change the colour of teeth and help return you to a whiter smile.

Tooth Discoloration As well as age, there are many factors that impact the colour of teeth from genetics to diet (eg. drinking black coffee, red wine), smoking habits, and even teeth grinding.

From a clinical perspective, there are two types of tooth discoloration, extrinsic (on the surface) and intrinsic (within the tooth itself).

Superficial extrinsic stains can be removed by regular brushing at home and professional cleaning at your dentist, while more stubborn extrinsic stains will respond well to

dental whitening.

Intrinsic staining is when the dentine inside of the teeth has changed colour. Even professional cleaning will not remove this staining and this is where dental whitening can really make a difference.

Dental Whitening Solutions There are three main options when considering dental whitening.

- In-office:

The procedure takes about an hour, and because it uses a relatively high concentration of bleaching gel requires a dentist to administer it. The lips and gums are protected and the bleaching gel is painted into the teeth. A ‘laser’ light can then be used to help activate the gel. This accelerates the bleaching effects of the gel and generally improves whitening results. The gel is removed after approximately 15mins and the procedure is repeated another one or two times. This method produces the most rapid results; you will see an immediate, significant colour

change at that first appointment.

For 3 days after this procedure it is recommended that you do not eat or drink anything highly coloured.

If the patient chooses, this can be followed up with the same in-office treatment around 7 days later or by using the home-use kit.

- Professionally dispensed whitening kits for use at home:

This method is still effective but uses a lower concentration of hydrogen peroxide so results are achieved more gradually over a period of days. The kit contains pre-loaded trays which are applied onto the teeth for a period of an hour. I recommend repeating this for 4 or 5 days although the kits I stock contain enough for a 10 day course.

- Over-the-counter:

These contain the lowest concentration of active ingredient which is applied to the teeth by strips, paint-on applicators and universal-sized trays. Depending on

what degree of a colour change you are seeking these can be satisfactory and convenient solution although will generally require longer to gets visible results.

It is important to stress that dental whitening does not cause any damage to teeth. However, I would add some ‘watch outs’. I do not recommend any method using the higher concentrations if you have sensitive teeth or for anyone under the age of 20 years. If you have crowns or veneers you need to be aware that these will not change colour during the whitening procedure.

The whitening method you select is purely down to personal choice, based on how quickly you want to achieve results, how significant a colour change you want to achieve, your budget and whether you are comfortable self-administering.

However, whichever method you choose you will be able to smile with more confidence knowing you have that clean, white, bright smile.

health Tip 

Green onions: Medicinal and more This is a great recipe to have by itself or with an Asian-style meal.

Ingredients • 1 (16 ounce) package uncooked linguini pasta • 1/2 cup butter • 1 (9.25 ounce) container cashews • 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce • 1 teaspoon ground ginger • 1 bunch green onions, diced Directions 1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Place linguini in the pot, cook 9 to 11 minutes, until al dente, and drain.

2. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat, and saute the cashews 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Mix in the cooked linguini, teriyaki sauce, ginger, and green onion, and continue to cook and stir until heated through.

(Nutritional Information: Amount Per Serving Calories: 513 | Total Fat: 27.7g | Cholesterol: 31mg)

The joy is mine as always, when it is that time to read from various articles concerning farm produce, whether it is homegrown or purchase from our local supermarket. Just before I journey into what I want to talk to you about this week from research, of course I must give thanks to the one that made all of the columns that you have read so far possible, he is the Almighty Creator, and to you, my readers, thanks as always.

This week let us go on another ‘amazing journey’ to the farm, or you can perhaps go to your own backyard garden, and harvest some of your own freshly grown scallions.

Based on my findings from research it says that: Scallions, are commonly known as green onions, spring onion, or salad onion, it

By Phillip Simmons is a small onion with long leaves that are considered a necessity in Chinese recipes, as well as in teas, wine, vinegar, honeys, garlic, and ginger. The green onion’s medicinal part is it stem. It works as well as an antipyretic, expectorant, antibacterial, and anti-fungal. It is effective against colds, headaches, chills to the stomach, indigestion and for insomnia. The white stem contains a lot of glucose and alkyl sulfides. Used as a raw condiment to many foods by finely chopping the

fresh white stem.

Some of the medicinal properties & health benefits of green onions (Scallions):

• It is mainly used as a traditional medicine for common cold; • It stimulates the respiratory tract and help in expelling sputum (phlegm); • It contains essential oils that stimulates the sweat glands and promotes sweating; • It normalizes blood pressure; • It increases appetite;

• It helps prevent diarrhea; • It is rich in sulfur an essential element that kills or inhibits fungus infections; • It inhibits cancer cell growth especially colon cancer. Green onions anti-colon cancer properties are well known among many traditional healers around the world; • It contains vitamin A and C. The white part of it has calcium too; • It is a good appetizer; and • It helps speed up blood circulation and absorbs Vitamin B1. This helps reduce stress and tiredness.

February 18 - 24, 2012

Lifestyle...

GARDENING 

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

How does your garden grow

17

YOUR DIET

ASK TAMIKA

BY TAMIKA HANDFIELD

Tamika graduated from Florida International University in Miami with a Masters degree in Dietetics & Nutrition. She is a registered dietitian with the American Dietetic Association (ADA) and licensed to practice medical nutrition therapy in the state of Florida.

Email Tamika via tcweeklynews@gmail.com or tamikahandfield@yahoo.com with your healthy eating questions.

Red and dark-purple grapes consumed with the skins are also good sources of vitamins C, E, potassium and fiber.

Show your heart some love

Iguanas grow up to 4.9 ft in length from head to tail, although a few specimens have grown more 6.6 feet with bodyweights upward of 20 pounds.

A new pest is born Brought into the Island with the import of trees and plants, Green iguanas have been seen in some part of the Island of Providenciales.

In Puerto Rico, one of their most troublesome characteristics is a propensity to colonize airway strips and nearby areas. Green iguanas have caused runway accidents, and they are considered a collision hazard in Florida airports as well.

This herbivore will adapt significantly with regard to locomotion and as a result of its diet. It grows up to 4.9 ft in length from head to tail, although a few specimens have grown more 6.6 feet with bodyweights upward of 20 pounds.

Green Iguanas are oviparous with females laying clutches of 20 to 71 eggs once per year. The female Green iguana gives no parental protection after egg laying, apart from defending the nesting burrow during excavation. The hatchlings emerge from the nest after 10–15 weeks of incubation. Once hatched, the young iguanas look similar to the adults in color and shape, resembling adult females more so than males and lacking dorsal spines They are diurnal, arboreal, and are often found near water. Agile climbers, Iguana can fall up to 50 feet and land unhurt (iguanas use

BY DENIS Belanger - NATURE SPLENDOR For all your landscaping, installation or garden maintenance needs, please call or write for a free estimate: 332-3381 or naturesplendor@yahoo.com

their hind leg claws to clasp leaves and branches to break a fall).

Our climate will allow these large herbivorous (plant-eating) lizards to survive, reproduce and become a permanent part of the environment.

As a result, they can multiply as thousands.

Adult iguanas are large, powerful animals that can bite, cause severe scratch wounds with their extremely sharp claws and deliver a painful slap with their tail. These reptiles usually avoid people, but will defend themselves against people and pets who try to catch or corner them.

Iguanas eat valuable landscape plants, shrubs and trees as well as orchids and many other flowers.

Iguanas will climb trees to feed, and young specimen trees can be badly damaged and in some cases killed.

Iguanas also dig burrows that undermine foundations and sidewalks. Iguana burrows next to seawalls cause erosion and eventual collapse of the walls. Droppings from iguanas litter areas and may

be a source of salmonella bacteria, which causes food poisoning.

Dogs and birds of prey are probably the only natural enemies of iguanas in the TCI. Male iguanas are territorial against other males, but are not territorial against females and juveniles.

These large lizards like to bask in the sun on sidewalks, docks, seawalls, landscape timbers and open mowed areas. If frightened, green iguanas dive into water, making them very difficult to capture.

While adult iguanas prefer feeding on foliage, flowers and fruit, they will occasionally eat animal material such as insects, lizards and other small animals, nestling birds and eggs. Juveniles eat more insects, and hatchling green iguanas eat the droppings of adult iguanas to acquire the gut bacteria they need to digest plant material.

Don’t feed green iguanas in your yard because it will attract more iguanas and create problems for you and your neighbors.

Last week we learned that chocolate was good for us—a piece of news that made many chocolate lovers quite happy.

However, there was a disclaimer; it seems only dark chocolate has any health benefits because of a class of phytonutrients known as Flavonoids.

This week we will learn of another class of phytonutrient that offer just as much heart protective benefit as dark chocolate.

Polyphenols have become quite popular in recent years because, like its counterpart flavonoid, it helps to prevent blood clots, lower blood pressure and improve the function of the blood vessels all leading to better heart function. While there are thousands of polyphenols, the one that has gotten the most media coverage is resveratrol.

It is common knowledge now that a glass or two of red wine consumed daily can help to prevent heart disease; however, not everyone wants to drink wine or any other alcohol for that matter and may be wondering if they can get the same benefits without the alcohol.

Luckily for you, many other foods such as grapes, apples, onions, soy, peanuts, berries, and several other vegetables and fruits are packed with polyphenols!!

Also, research now shows that indeed grape juice made from Concorde grapes offer the same protection as red wine and in some cases it offers more protection than red wine. The reason being due to some of the chemicals used to prevent fungal growth on the grapes destroy some of the resveratrol. Red and dark-purple grapes consumed with the skins are also good sources of vitamins C, E, potassium and fiber. It is important to remember though that much of the nutritional benefit of the grape is found in its skin and seeds rather than the pulp.

I have seen many people sit and painstakingly peel the skin off and at the same time, unknowingly discard most of the nutritional value.

Grapes are an amazingly refreshing low calorie snack and can be enjoyed in a variety of ways: • Freeze grapes for a cool snack on a hot summer day • Serve stewed grapes with meat items • Add grapes to pasta dishes for a touch of sweetness • Add to a green salad or fruit salad • Serve grapes with wine, cheese and crackers as a delectable party food • And my husband swears that grapes with lightly salted peanuts is snack compared to none other February has been dubbed the month of love, so go ahead and show your heart some love.

‘Like’ my page, ACCU Medical Nutrition—Nutrition in Demand, on Facebook and receive up to date nutrition information.

ACCU Medical Nutrition is based in Graceway IGA Plaza, Providenciales.

Call 946 8308, 242 3978 or 442 3978.

18

Regional News

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

Ingraham: ‘We did not invite Haitian president’ –As oppositions accuse PM of using Martelly to garner votes THE BAHAMAS government did not invite Haitian President Michel Martelly to the Bahamas, Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham explained Saturday, after he received harsh criticism over the leader of the troubled Caribbean state’s visit.

Mr Ingraham told the media during a press conference in North Andros, that any head of state whose citizens or former citizens reside in the Bahamas, can visit without the consent of the government in order to meet with his countrymen.

“The Bahamas government did not invite President Martelly to the Bahamas,” Mr Ingraham said.

“There is no need for the Bahamas to invite the president of Haiti or any other president of a friendly country to the Bahamas.

“Any head of government from any country can have their head of government visit the Bahamas at any time they choose. They don’t require our permission.”

According to Mr Ingraham, governments are contacted by heads of state in order to ensure that proper security and protocols are in place for their visit.

He took heavy criticism from opposition leader Perry Christie and Democratic National Alliance leader Branville McCartney for Mr Martelly’s visit. Both men saw the Haitian president’s trip to the Bahamas as a political ploy to secure votes by the Haitian-Bahamian populous of the Bahamas before the next general election.

Both Mr Christie and Mr McCartney, as well as many other

Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Hubert Ingraham (right), meets His Excellency Michel Joseph Martelly, President of the Republic of Haiti during a courtesy call at the Office of the Prime Minister, Wednesday, February 8th, 2012. (TheBahamasWeekly.com)

Bahamians, became incensed when Mr Martelly told his people to vote for the party that would best protect their interest. It was then assumed that Mr Martelly was instructing his people to vote for the FNM. Mr Ingraham said that if Mr Christie took issue with the Haitian President’s remarks, he should have taken it up with him when they met the next day.

“Presumably, if Mr Christie had an issue with what Mr Martelly said, he would have raised it with President Martelly while he was at Mr Christie’s house, he certainly would not have waited until last night at his candidate launch to hear from Mr Christie.

“Clearly, that’s what I would

have done if I had taken issue with a statement President Martelly would have made,” he said.

And Mr Ingraham explained that he did have an issue with Mr Martelly’s assertion that children of Haitian descent born in the Bahamas are stateless before the age of 18 when they can legally apply for citizenship.

“Such persons are not stateless, they have the nationality of their parents,” he said.

“Under our constitution, which differs from the Haitians, which differs from the American constitution, persons born in the Bahamas of non-Bahamian parentage do not have a right to Bahamian citizenship until they reach the age of 18.” (Tribune242.com)

Supreme Court Justice Breyer robbed at machete-point during Nevis vacation UNITED States Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer was robbed last week by an intruder armed with a machete while Breyer was vacationing on the Caribbean island of Nevis, court officials said Monday.

Breyer, his wife and two other guests were in the justice’s vacation home at the time, but officials said no one was hurt in the incident.

The male assailant took $1,000 in cash and fled the scene, according to court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg.

The robbery was reported to local authorities shortly after it happened last Thursday night, and local media said no arrests had been made as of Monday.

A law enforcement official said the evidence so far indicates the incident was “a crime of opportunity,” and

that police have seen nothing so far to indicate Breyer was targeted for robbery.

The U.S. Marshals Service provides protection for members of the high court when they are traveling, and agency spokesman Jeff Carter said Monday that the marshals service “is aware of the incident involving Justice Breyer on the Caribbean island of Nevis and is assisting the Supreme Court Police and local law enforcement authorities with the investigation as needed.” He did not elaborate.

FBI spokesman Paul Bresson said, “We are assisting the local police with their investigation.”

Meanwhile, police on the island were “actively searching for a known person of interest,” Commissioner

C.G. Walwyn of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force said Monday. “Our Americantrained crime scene investigators and the members of our Criminal Investigators (unit) are working closely with the FBI on this case,” he added.

Breyer had no comment on the matter, and the court would not say if he had returned to the United States.

The high court is in recess this week, but the justices have scheduled a closed-door meeting Friday to go over pending court business, and they resume public sessions next week.

Nevis is part of the West Indies chain known as the Leeward Islands, located about 350 miles southeast of Puerto Rico. (CNN)

February 18 - 24, 2012

Caribbean and UK to establish mechanism to strengthen fight against drugs and crime REPRESENTATIVES from the United Kingdom (UK) and the Caribbean have agreed to establish a UK/Caribbean Expertise Exchange Mechanism, to further collaborate in the fight against drugs and international crime.

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. A.J. Nicholson, who was speaking in the Senate on February 10, revealed that the agreement came out of talks at the 7th UK/Caribbean Forum, held in St. Georges, Grenada, from January 20 to 22.

Senator Nicholson, who attended the meeting along with Minister of National Security, Hon. Peter Bunting, and other Ministry officials, informed that the forum encouraged very frank and extensive discussions on crime and security.

He noted that the discussions produced positive results, including a further commitment from the UK to assist the region in addressing youth crime, gangs and violence, and to enhance the capacity of the juvenile justice system in the Caribbean.

“There was recognition that the fight against transnational organised crime must involve other partners and so there was agreement to establish, with the full collaboration of the United States, a regional network of land-based law enforcement units to conduct land-based surveillance and interdiction operations,” Senator Nicholson said.

Meanwhile, in the area of trade and investment, the Minister said that special attention was paid to support for the private sector, with particular emphasis on small and medium sized enterprises.

There was agreement on the need to improve access for Caribbean goods and services to the European Union, including a marked reference to the implementation of the Cariforum/EU Partnership Agreement (EPA) that was signed in 2008, the Minister said.

“An important point for the Caribbean was that our classification as middle-income countries should not ignore our vulnerability to indigenous, exogenous shocks and natural disasters, our limited human, technical and financial resources and the fact that many of us are highly indebted,” he noted.

“We were encouraged that the UK agreed that it will engage the Caribbean prior to the G20 and Organisation for Economic Cooperation Development (OECD) meetings, in order to have a better understanding and appreciation of our peculiar concerns, with a view to having decisions taken by those bodies take account of our special circumstances,” Mr. Nicholson said.

On the matter of Climate Change, he said the UK recognised the region’s strong voice on the issue and there was an agreement to collaborate closely in international fora.

“We therefore pledged to work together to secure an agreement by 2015 for enhanced action on a comprehensive global agreement,” he said.

Efforts will also be made to develop a long term strategy on energy security for the region, with an emphasis on renewable energy and green technology, the Minister informed.

He said Caribbean Foreign Ministers also used the opportunity to raise the contentious issue of the UK Air Passenger Duty (APD), which threatens the Caribbean tourism industry.

“We stressed the discriminatory nature of the APD and once again called for the equitable application of the duty. We were able to secure a pledge from the UK for continued dialogue on the issue, as well as assistance in mitigating any deleterious effects that the application of the APD may have on the economies of the region,” the Minister said.

Foreign Secretary of the UK, William Hague, gave the undertaking that the Coalition Government in the UK would examine the issue again when it presents its annual budget next financial year, Senator Nicholson said.

The Forum, which was held under the theme: ‘Sustainable Growth Toward Prosperity’, saw delegates engaging in wide ranging and frank discussions on major areas of co-operation, trade and investment, security, climate change and sustainable development, and foreign policy issues.

Jamaica’s delegation, which was led by Minister Nicholson, also included Minister of National Security, Hon. Peter Bunting; Acting Permanent Secretary in the Foreign Ministry, Ambassador Vilma McNish; and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of National Security, Dianne McIntosh.

The UK delegation was led by Mr. Hague, and included Ministers from the Home Office, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Department for International Development, security officials, and members of the private sector. The group represented the largest and highest Ministerial delegation to the Caribbean in a number of years.

The two-day forum is considered the principal vehicle for political dialogue between the UK and the countries of the region, including Cuba and the Dominican Republic.

(Jis.gov.jm)

February 18 - 24, 2012

Regional News

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

Bahamas suffering “one of its darkest economical periods” – Branville McCartney DNA Leader Branville McCartney has spoken out about the everincreasing number of unemployed Grand Bahamians.

With unemployment now at 21 per cent, he said this is “one of the darkest economic periods in the history of the island”.

Osman Johnson, DNA candidate for Pineridge, said the latest figures show a 5.8 per cent increase in unemployment - to an unprecedented high of 21.2 per cent or 11,000 people without a job.

He said: “I am reminded of the rather farcical comments made by the junior Minister of Finance, the Honourable Zhivargo Laing, when he suggested that Grand Bahama’s industrial sector remains relatively stable, and this despite the dozens of lay-offs at major companies all over the island.

“It is this kind of statement which belies the ignorance of this FNM government to not only the true situation which is prevalent at this time, but also the genuine need of the people on this island for the

Branville McCartney feels his DNA party can do a better job in government.

government to take action.”

Mr Johnson said a new development is desperately needed in the centre of Freeport, and noted that the Royal Oasis Hotel has been vacant for the past seven years without either the FNM or PLP doing anything about it.

Mr Johnson said the DNA would engage local and international partners in an effort to redevelop the area to provide a first rate tourism entertainment zone complete with restaurants, nightclubs, bars, and other amenities.

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Sandals rejects union busting claim MANAGEMENT at Sandals Royal Bahamian on Monday condemned allegations of union busting and staff intimidation.

Calling remarks by Bahamas Hotel Maintenance and Allied Workers Union (BHMAWU) officials slanderous, the resort demanded a public apology.

“The executives of this union made placard accusations against the minister for which they were compelled to withdraw and apologise,” an official statement read. “They will be compelled to do the same as respects our management and good name.”

Last week, the BHMAWU alleged employees were being “threatened” that if they did not sign a petition removing the union as their bargaining agent, they could lose their jobs.

Union officials held a demonstration outside the West Bay Street resort on Monday in protest of the alleged petition.

Denying the charges of intimidation, Sandal’s general manager Patrick Drake said at that time the resort “recognised the

right of workers to sign a petition to the Minister of Labour requesting revocation of union representation.”

In February 2010, a Privy Council ruling paved the way for the union to be recognised as the bargaining agent for the 500 non-managerial employees at Sandals Royal Bahamian, overturning the Court of Appeal’s verdict that the BHMAWU was “void” because it was not properly registered.

Management has maintained that 70 per cent of current employees had not been hired when the vote for BHMAWU representation was taken in 2008, and any attempt to “settle the question of union representation” must allow present workers “an opportunity to indicate whether they desire to be part of this union.”

Management claims the union’s recent allegations have sullied the resort’s reputation as an important tourism facility by creating the impression it was in direct contravention of the constitutional rights of its workers.

“The handful of placard-bearing

persons featured in the media demonstrating at the hotel are persons who ceased working with the hotel in 2008/2009 when the world recession forced a contraction of the operations of hotels across the region and, indeed, the world,” the statement read.

“Yet, these former employees were deceptively utilised to create the impression that the current workforce was at odds with the management of the hotel over attempts at union-busting.”

Management noted recent and ongoing investments, such as new butler suits and expanded training opportunities, as evidence of its commitment as a corporate citizen in the tourism sector.

“For nearly two decades, Sandals has been proudly playing our part in building the tourism sector of the Bahamas. We have taken an old resort, with an enormous history, and developed it to the pinnacle of modern tourism comparable to any top-of theline resort anywhere in the world.

“We cannot stand idly by and allow this challenge to our honour to go undefended.” (Tribune242.com)

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TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

February 18 - 24, 2012

February 18 - 24, 2012

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

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TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

February 18 - 24, 2012

NATIONAL

The competing sailboats line the beach

The ‘A’ class race about to begin

Fun day sailing thrills 12th Annual Middle Caicos Valentine’s Day Cup a Success The Middle Caicos community deemed this year’s 12th annual Valentine’s Day Cup a major success.

Travellers from across the Turks and Caicos Islands and abroad congregated on the beautiful Bambarra Beach in Middle Caicos last Saturday (February 10th) and met seas that were much calmer than normal, which proved to be a bit of a challenge for boaters participating in the races.

However, the lack of wind, while it made it difficult for the model sailboats to traverse around the course with much speed, did not dampen the spirit of those participating in the day’s activities.

The oldest Captain racing his boat was 84-year-old Carlin Forbes and the 7-year-old Alison Fulford was the youngest captain.

This year’s event boasted over 10 entries in each category and the competition saw a few first time winners as well as repeat winners from 2011’s Valentine’s Day Cup events.

In the A Class race, a few very notable characters went head to head for the grand prize. Coming out on top were; 3rd place Jason Heart from Big Blue sailing the ‘Tanned Toucan’, in second place was Dr. Sam Slattery with his boat ‘NHIP’.

In at first place was Mike Robertson with his smooth sailing of “The Banana”.

First place in the Class B race went to Sydney Lawson’s ‘Miss Val’, while the top place in the Class C race went to Leshawn Forbes’ ‘What a boy’. The Ladies Challenge – open race – went to Heather Urfey’s ‘Forbes Flyer’.

On land, the crowd enjoyed live musical entertainment from DJ Febb, and a live performance by a local band. The Church of God of Prophecy cooked up a storm

and raised over a thousand dollars for their roof fund, and the MCSA cleared over $600 from bar and

t-shirt/cap sales toward new boat purchases.

Event goers also participated in

Women’s Race

Pull or be pulled: the ‘tug of war’ even was certainly a crowd favourite

games and trivia at the Islandcom table as well as Tug o War and other races.

Organisers of the event maintain that the special annual not-forprofit event continues to receiving consistent support and keeps growing strong.

Dr. Sam Slattery and his boat ‘NHIP’

February 18 - 24, 2012

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

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TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

February 18 - 24, 2012

SCTC Security Services

Vacancies

SCTC Security Services is looking to fill the following positions.

Unarmed Security Officers Turks and Caicos firearm licensed Security Officers Armored Transport Vehicle Officers Applicants must have a clean police record, speak English, follow orders well and be a team player.

Belongers only need apply.

Interested Parties please call (649) 431-4071 6326

February 18 - 24, 2012

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

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World News

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

February 18 - 24, 2012

Food price rises could undo work to reduce child malnutrition, Save the Children warns

500m children ‘at risk of effects of malnutrition’

Over 350 people died in the prison fire.

World’s worst prison fire in more than a century hits Honduras HONDURAS is beginning the grim task of identifying the victims of a prison fire that killed more than 350 people.

As forensic experts worked to recover the charred corpses from the jail in Comayagua, hundreds of relatives remained desperate for news.

The government has promised a full investigation and accepted that the entire prison system needs reform.

More than half the inmates in Comayagua were on remand or held

as suspected gang members, AP news agency says.

AP obtained an internal Honduran government report sent to the United Nations that detailed conditions in the Comayagua prison.

The report said that there were some 800 prisoners in a jail built for 500, and only 51 guards by day and just 12 by night.

Tuesday’s fire, which broke out at night, destroyed large parts of the Comayagua complex.

With the number of dead past 350,

it is the world’s worst prison fire in a century.

Survivors said inmates had tried to save themselves by jumping into showers or sinks.

“I woke up with all the screaming from my fellow inmates, who were already breaking the wood and zinc ceiling,” one survivor said.

Bodies are being sent to the mortuary in Tegucigalpa for formal identification. Many are so badly charred that dental records and DNA will be needed. (BBC)

Berlusconi prosecutors demand five-year jail term ITALIAN prosecutors in Milan have asked for former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to be sentenced to five years in jail on bribery charges.

He is accused of paying British lawyer David Mills $600,000 (£382,000) to lie about his business interests.

But the case has run on for so long that Mr Berlusconi, 75, is unlikely to go to jail even if found guilty.

He is also on trial separately for tax fraud and alleged sex with an underage prostitute.

A case is also due to start on 15 March where Mr Berlusconi is charged with revealing confidential information over a 2005 banking scandal. In all cases he says he is innocent.

“It is certain, beyond any reasonable doubt, that the defendant is guilty,” prosecutor Fabio De Pasquale told a Milan court on Wednesday. He also accused Mr Berlusconi’s defence of being entirely “based on false documents”.

The case, dating back to 1997,

HALF a billion children could grow up physically and mentally stunted over the next 15 years because they do not have enough to eat, the charity Save the Children says in a new report.

It says much more needs to be done to tackle malnutrition in the world’s poorest countries.

The charity found that many families could not afford meat, milk or vegetables.

The survey covered families in India, Bangladesh, Peru, Pakistan and Nigeria.

One parent in six said their children were abandoning school to help out by working for food.

A third of parents surveyed said their children complained about not having enough to eat.

The survey was carried out in the five countries - where, the agency says, half the world’s malnourished children live - by international polling agency Globescan.

RECORD FOOD PRICES Save the Children said that a year of record food prices had worsened

child malnutrition and could hit progress reducing child deaths.

“The world has made dramatic progress in reducing child deaths, down from 12 to 7.6 million, but this momentum will stall if we fail to tackle malnutrition,” said Save the Children chief executive Justin Forsyth.

The agency wants the UK to lead the way in reducing hunger and protecting children from food price rises - starting with a Hunger Summit when world leaders are in London for the Olympics.

The UK’s International Development Secretary, Andrew Mitchell, said the charity was right to focus on hunger and malnutrition, and Britain would “continue to urge other countries to match our own efforts in this area”.

In its report, Save the Children says that one in four of the world’s children have stunted growth meaning their bodies and brains have failed to develop properly due to malnutrition.

Eighty percent of stunted children live in just four countries, the charity says. (BBC)

Pastor, wife accused of killing ‘possessed’ children

Mr Berlusconi accuses prosecutors of pursuing a political vendetta against him.

could be dropped later this year under Italy’s statute of limitations if Mr Berlusconi’s lawyers lodge an appeal.

In December Mr Mills told a court he was “deeply ashamed” for falsely claiming that Mr Berlusconi had given him $600,000.

Mr Mills said the money had actually come from an associate he

had not wanted to admit dealing with.

Mr Mills, who is separated from his wife, former Labour cabinet minister Tessa Jowell, was convicted of perjury in his absence in February 2009.

But a year later he was acquitted by the Italian Supreme Court under the statute of limitations. (BBC)

A pastor and his wife are in custody accused of killing three of their children by starving them to ward off evil spirits, police in South Korea said Wednesday.

The couple told police the children -- aged nine, seven and three -- had been ill, which they believed was a sign they were invaded by evil spirits after eating too much on Lunar New Year.

They then cut the children’s hair to chase the spirits out and starved them from January 24 until February 2, only allowing them to drink water. Local media reports said the parents had beaten the children with a belt

and a fly swatter numerous times.

The pastor, named only by his surname Park, and his wife, Cho, told police they tied the children’s arms and legs with stockings. All three died on February 2, the first around 2am, the second at 5am and the third at 7am, according to police in the town of Boseong, more than 186 miles (300 kilometers) south of Seoul.

The bodies were found nine days later by Park’s brother-inlaw. Police said the couple was praying in the hope of resurrecting the children. Their eight-monthold daughter who survived has been taken into care, police said.

February 18 - 24, 2012

World News

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

27

Kenya’s legal same-sex marriages

Faithful attend a Mass in the memory of two Catholic priests who were believed to be murdered in Bogota, Colombia. (William Fernando Martinez/AP)

Suicide by hitmen: Colombian priests hired gunmen to kill them REV. RAFAEL Reatiga asked his parishioners to pray for him and gave the choirmaster a list of songs for his funeral just before he was found shot to death together with another Roman Catholic priest, a Colombian prosecutor said Tuesday.

Authorities initially suspected robbery when Reatiga’s body was found along with that of Rev. Richard Piffano, 37, in a car in southern Bogota on Jan. 27, 2011.

But on Tuesday prosecutor Ana Patricia Larrota said investigators had determined that it was suicide by hitmen: the two priests hired gunmen to kill them after Reatiga discovered he had AIDS.

The priests gave members of a criminal gang the equivalent of $8,500, said the chief investigator of the prosecutor’s office, Maritza Gonzalez, as two of the four alleged assassins appeared before a judge for processing.

She said the two priests had originally planned to throw themselves off a cliff into a canyon north of Bogota but apparently lacked the nerve.

In addition to AIDS, Reatiga had syphilis and witness testimony indicated he was a regular visitor to places frequented by gays in central Bogota, Larrota told the judge who processed the two alleged assassins on Tuesday.

HOMOSEXUAL acts may be outlawed in Kenya but there is a long tradition among some communities of women marrying each other.

This is hard to fathom in a country where religious leaders condemn gay unions as “un-African” - and those who dare to declare their partnerships openly often receive a hostile public reaction.

But these cases involving women are not regarded in the same light.

If a woman has never had any children, she takes on what is regarded as the male role in a marriage, providing a home for the younger woman, who is then encouraged to take a male sexual partner from her partner’s clan to become pregnant.

Her offspring will be regarded as the fruit of the marriage.

“I married according to our ageold tradition, where if a woman was not lucky enough to have her own children, she got another woman to honour her with children,” says 67-year-old Juliana Soi. Sitting on armchairs placed in the shade outside her grass thatched home in Rift Valley’s Elburgon area, she tells me she married Esther in the early 1990s.

‘CHILDREN ARE LIKE BLANKETS’ Esther, who remained demure during the visit and too shy to speak to me, is 20 years her junior and together they nominally have five children.

“You know children are like

Juliana and Esther Soi married in the early 1990s.

blankets,” says Juliana.

“And one needs to have their own blanket so that you do not have to go to your neighbours’ house at night to ask for a blanket since he will definitely be using his at that time.”

This customary arrangement practised among Kenya’s Kalenjin (encompassing the Nandi, Kipsigis, and Keiyo), Kuria and Akamba communities - has come under the legal spotlight recently because of an inheritance case currently before the courts in the coastal city of Mombasa.

In a landmark ruling, the high court last year recognised that, in accordance with Nandi customary law on woman-to-woman marriages, Monica Jesang Katam could inherit her late wife’s property.

However, the relatives of the dead woman - who was the older partner in the marriage - are challenging the verdict. A large house in Mombasa is

at stake.

If the appeal fails, Franklin Chepkwony Soi should have no difficulty in claiming his inheritance rights when he is older.

“I was born here at Juliana’s house and Esther here is my mother,” the 20 year old explains.

“This lady Juliana married my mother because she wanted some sons to inherit her property.”

‘NO SEX’ He says he does not know who his biological father is - and is not interested to find out.

He adds that he has never experienced any social stigma and the small community in Elburgon accepts their family.

But his parents are at pains to point out that they do not have a sexual relationship.

“No! No! Nothing sexual takes place,” says Juliana, adding that the two women sleep in separate huts.

Deaf girl: I was kept in UK cellar as sex slave

Amanda Knox reacts to the announcement of the acquitted verdict of her appeal trial at Perugia’s court in 2010.

Italian prosecutors appeal decision to overturn Amanda Knox conviction PROSECUTORS in Italy lodged an appeal Tuesday of the acquittal of American student Amanda Knox in the murder of British student Meredith Kercher.

Knox and her ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, were convicted of murder in the town of Perugia in 2009 but were cleared when they appealed the verdicts in October.

The case gripped the attention of the public in the United States, Italy and Britain.

Knox’s family said in a statement issued through a spokesman that the appeal was unwelcome, but no cause for concern.

“The appeal of Amanda’s

acquittal by the prosecution was not unexpected as they had indicated from the day of the verdict that they would appeal,” the statement said.

“We are not concerned about this appeal as Amanda’s innocence was clearly and convincingly proven in her appeal trial. This is simply another example of harassment by the prosecution against Amanda and makes this terrible, painful incident continue to go on for Amanda, Raffaele and their families.”

Giovanni Galati, a Perugia prosecutor, had earlier told reporters the acquittal should be overturned because Knox and Sollecito were guilty, according to Italian news agency ANSA.

LOCKED in a cellar where she was allegedly raped and beaten for nearly a decade, a young deaf and mute Pakistani woman told a U.K. court on Monday how she was trafficked into Britain and forced to work as a virtual slave.

The woman, whose age is not known, said she was around 10 when she was brought to the northern city of Manchester as a domestic servant in 2000. She cannot be identified for legal reasons.

A Pakistani couple — 83-year-old Ilyas Ashar and his wife, 66-yearold Tallat Ashar — are charged with false imprisonment, human trafficking, sexual offenses, violence and benefit fraud. Both have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Speaking through an interpreter and using sign language, the woman — thought to be 19 or in her 20s — described how she was allegedly hit with a rolling pin while forced to work for no money, made to sleep on a concrete floor in a bolted cellar and sexually abused.

When prosecutors showed her a picture of Ilyas Ashar, she said: “He’s the one who has sex with me.”

She said Ashar’s wife would repeatedly strike her with her ring, sometimes when she made too much

Ilyas Ashar and his wife Tallat Ashar are being charged with false imprisonment, human trafficking, sexual offenses, violence and benefit fraud.

noise by setting dishes on the table.

“I would be down in the cellar, sitting alone and very upset,” she said. “I would sit there for a long, long time, really upset and crying. I could not get out.”

The girl was rescued after a joint police raid in 2009. It wasn’t immediately clear if other government agencies were investigating the couple or why.

The couple are also accused of allegedly claiming benefits in her name but withholding any proceeds.

It isn’t immediately clear how the couple were able to bring the girl to Britain.

The Border Agency, which falls under control of the Home Office, had no immediate comment as to how the girl would have been allowed into the country as a domestic servant or whether the matter was being investigated, but a spokeswoman said she would look into the matter.

The trial continues in Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester.

(New York Daily News/AP)

real estate CAICOS EXPRESS AIRWAYS Is looking for a

Classifieds

MERLINE GROCERY STORE Is looking for a

Baggage Handler To work 7 days per week salary $6.00 per hour.

Worker

contact: 341-5919

6297

To work 6 days per week salary $5.00 per hour.

6248

contact: 231-1982

Domestic

FAST SALE

Fax: 946-4661

Email: tcnews@tciway.tc

Website: tcweeklynews.com

STUDIO APARTMENT FOR RENT

1.3 Acres Of Land Ocean Drive, Turtle Tail Semi-Hilltop

$300,000 o.n.o.

$650.00 per month Gated Community Furnished

CONTACT: 231-3788

Contact: 231-3788

POSITIONS AVAILABLE

Art Sales

Manager The role of the Art Sales Manager will include supervision and management of purchasing and sales of Jewish art works and products.

BRUCE TRETHEWAY

Is looking to fill the following positions:

Stone Wall Builders

Labourer Contact: 241-0386

Is looking for 2

• Must have at least 5 years experience along with references • Must be willing to work 5 days per week • Salary $7.00 per hour

Contact: 247-3851 Tyson’s Take Away

Is looking to fill the following positions:

WANTED DOMESTIC WORKER

Closing date for applications is Friday, March 3rd 2012.

Application must be submitted to:

Manager Bruno Fine Arts Grand Turk Cruise Centre Grand Turk

JULBERT STORE / ROUSSEAU LOUIS

Salary $5.00 per hour Tile Layer salary $6.00 per hour.

• Minimum 2 years experience as a Manager as well as in-depth knowledge of Israeli Fine Art, Sculptures and Jewish history.

• Qualified candidate will possess 15 years in the sales and customer service industry as well as be bi-lingual.

• Salary payable: $12,000.00 per annum plus commissions on sales.

FOR SALE

946-4664

6249

Auto sales

February 18 - 24, 2012

Applicant must possess the following: Honesty, reliability and must be able to work on one’s own initiative. Must be able to work 6 days per week salary $5.00 per hour

6304

Contact: 343-8800

2 Bakers

1 Dining Room Manager • Must be willing to work 6 days per week including weekends and holidays • Salary based on experience

Contact: 343-6403

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

6260

Services

6251

Job Listings

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

6309

28

PHONE: (649) 946-4664

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

29

EMPLOYMENT / SERVICES / NOTICES

Wanted

EDNA STERLING

Scooter/ Vehicle Mechanic

Is looking for a

Slot Technician

Gaming Company seeks two Slot Technicians. Must have a minimum of five years experience in a casino environment working on Pot-oGold, Cadillac Jack and other digital equipment. Must be willing to work any shift, holiday’s and weekends.

Labourer contact: 231-1006

or email: caribgaming@express.tc

6254

To work 6 days per week salary $5.00 per hour.

Contact: 332-6364

CAICOS FARMS & FARMER’S MARKET Is looking for 4

Farmers To work 6 days per week salary $5.00 per hour.

Contact: 243-7886 or email: caicosfarms@hotmail.com

6302

FAX: (649) 946-4661

DOMESTIC

WORKER

NEEDED Must be able to work 6 days per week. Must be trustworthy and reliable.

Salary $200 per week.

Email: ldickenson @mybafsolutions.com or 231-4485 6300

Responsibilities: • Dismantle engines and repair or replace defective parts, such as magnetos, carburetors, and generators.

• Remove cylinder heads, grind valves, and scrape off carbon, and replace defective valves, pistons, cylinders and rings, using hand tools and power tools.

• Hammer out dents and bends in frames, weld tears and breaks; then reassemble frames and reinstall engines. Responsible for body maintenance and paint repair work • Repair or replace other parts, such as headlights, horns, handlebar controls, gasoline and oil tanks, starters, and mufflers.

• Repair and adjust motorcycle subassemblies such as forks, transmissions, brakes, and drive chains, according to specifications.

• Replace defective parts, using hand tools, arbor presses, flexible power presses, or power tools.

• Reassemble and test subassembly units. Disassemble subassembly units and examine condition, movement or alignment of parts visually or using gauges.

• Listen to engines, examine vehicle frames, and confer with customers in order to determine nature and extent of malfunction or damage.

• Connect test panels to engines and measure generator output, ignition timing, and other engine performance indicators.

• Performing small maintenance requests on all vehicles (cleaning, inflation tires, fixing all mechanical malfunction, etc) • Liaise and Assist with Scooter Operations agent with office duties when necessary • Advising Management of all daily activities • Responding to queries regarding scooter/buggy/vehicle functionality raised by customers, agent and mgmt. in the most friendly and adequate manner as possible • Support the Company’s promotional efforts.

• Ensuring that all returned vehicle are cleaned and ready for next day’s use.

• Any other duties assigned by Management Qualifications: • Candidate must be able to drive a scooter/buggy, as delivery and pick up requests are a normal part of this function.

• Candidate must be aware of the basic and all technical functionalities of a scooter/ buggy/vehicles • Candidate must have a minimum of 7 years experience in scooter/buggy/vehicle operations and mechanics • Candidate must be personable and customer service oriented All Salaries are subject to negotiation.

All interested please forward resumes to sandrews@caicoswheels.com

6299

February 18 - 24, 2012

30

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

PHONE: (649) 946-4664 ALTAGRACIA BAR & RESTAURANT Is looking for 2

February 18 - 24, 2012 FAX: (649) 946-4661

EMPLOYMENT / SERVICES / NOTICES

AMANDA A. MISICK Is looking for a

CATCH THE WAVE

CALASCO

BAY BISTRO

Is looking for a

Is looking for the following persons:

Labourer Mechanic – salary $5.00 per hour

contact: 345-5305

contact: 332-6420

6293

To work 5 days per week salary $5.00 per hour.

TRAGOS

6286

• to distribute ‘Islander Ginger Beer” and • related products. Candidate must possess an • intimate knowledge of the brewing process and have good communication • skills in English. Must also have marketing • skills. Driver’s License and delivery vehicle.

• Must have at least five years experience in Horticultural work • Use of private vehicle required with local drivers license with excellent driving record • Must work holiday and weekends • Must have Experience with QuickBooks and Excel • Must be fluent with English skills oral and written • Must have Knowledge of chemicals and fertilizers and their uses • Must have skill and experience in Design and landscape irrigation • Must have the Ability to lead and work along with the landscaping crews • Must have a Valid and good standing police record • Positions above require working in outdoors and manual labor public holidays and weekends Salary ranged based on experience

Contact: 649-241-6271

Telephone: 347-6745 PROVO ENTERTAINMENT CENTER

Is looking for the following persons:

4 Waitress

– salary $6.00 per hour

6281

Must be willing to work 6 days per week.

6279

Is looking for a

contact: 431-6163

SHERMAN & NORMA BUTTERFIELD Is looking for a

Kitchen Helper

Must be willing to work 6 days per week Salary $5.50 per hour PENN CONSTRUCTION

LaboUrer

Must be willing to work 5 days per week Salary $6.00 per hour B’S BEAUTY is looking for the following persons:

Beautician Salary $5.50 per hour Barber Salary $6.00 per hour

Must be willing to work 6 days per week

Contact: 242-4528

Hairstylist/

Masseuse laboUrer To work 6 days per day salary $5.00 per hour.

contact: 241-0249

To work 5 days per week salary $5.00 per hour.

contact: 344-1183 CLUB SODAX

SEEKS

Is looking for a

Apartment

Building for Sale

• Applicant must have 2 years experience, must be reliable and friendly.

• Applicant must be neat and tidy and present a positive image, and must be able to willing to work shifts, weekends and holidays.

• Wages start at $6.00 per hour. Application deadline is February 21st 2012.

Interested persons should send applications via fax at (649) 941-4034. C/o Alliance Realty Ltd.

Six (6) One (1) Bedroom One (1) Bath. Located on Millinneum Highway

6298

– salary $5.00 per hour

per week salary $5.00 per hour.

SHEIK & SASSY

Cocktail Waitress

2 Bartenders

Labourer To work 5 days 6287

To work 5 days per week salary $6.00 per hour.

BK PARTNERS LTD.

is looking for Bar/ Wait Staff

Contact: 244-3204

Salesperson

LANDSCAPING SUPERVISOR NEEDED

Labourer

Is looking for a

Requires one

Painter Contact: 244-5702

MAISON CREOLE

Grand Turk

NATURES VISION LTD.

Is looking for a

contact: 341-5796

6291

contact: 941-3047

6284

MARIE JOSETTE GERMEUS

Contact: 243-3337 or 341-4113

Lost Cay Bottling Company

FRANKLIN ROBINSON KEW NORTH CAICOS Is looking for a

6293

contact: 247-4507

6290

per week salary $5.00 per hour.

Must be willing to work 5 days per week salary $6.00 per hour.

Contact: 231-1489

Contact Tel: 649 333 1723 or 649 246 6119 Email: capronis2005 @yahoo.com 6208

Domestic

Worker To work 6 days per week salary $5.00 per hour.

contact: 941-4540

6301

Labourer To work 5 days

Technical Maintenance Person Domestic Worker

per week salary $5.00 per hour.

6296

Is looking to fill the following positions:

contact: 232-1025

Must be willing to work 6 days per week

6282

FOOTPRINT ON THE BEACH

Is looking for a

To work 6 days per week salary $5.00 per hour.

6285

DWAYNE PRATT

days per week $5.00 per hour

6288

6289

per week salary $5.00 per hour.

Labourer To work 5 days

– salary $9.00 per hour

6295

Labourer Waitress To work 5

6283

Waitresses To work 5 days

Is looking for a

February 18 - 24, 2012

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

PHONE: (649) 946-4664

EMPLOYMENT / SERVICES / NOTICES

31 FAX: (649) 946-4661

Caribbean Examination Council HEADQUARTERS

EXECUTIVE SEARCH The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) is seeking a talented professional to join its senior management team in the capacity of

Senior Assistant Registrar, Finance and Office Management The position will be based at CXC’s Headquarters in Barbados and will report to the Director, Corporate Services, CXC.

CORE DUTIES – SEnIOR ASSISTAnT REgISTRAR, FInAnCE AnD OFFICE MAnAgEMEnT: The successful applicant will be required to: • Manage Financial Management Services. Maintain day-to-day financial control of the Council’s assets and manage within the budget as agreed • Office Management and Resource Allocation. Develop and manage the organisation’s funding resources to secure present and future service delivery • Financial Planning and Development. Take responsibility for overall management and delivery of the financial aspect of the business plan; In conjunction with the governing body, draft, monitor and assess financial aspects of the business and development plans • Manage activities related to the annual Marking and Grading Programme. Manage the support services within the Finance and Office Management portfolio that facilitate the marking and grading programme.

• General Duties. Provide an interpretation of financial information; Monitor cash flow and use the same to predict future financial trends; Formulate strategies to be used in the long-term financial plans; Develop management mechanism in the finance department for the purpose of minimizing financial risk; Update the organisation regarding changes in legislation or regulations that may affect the Council’s business operation.

• Such other duties as may be assigned by any duly authorized person from time to time QUALIFICATIOnS & OTHER REQUIREMEnTS: The successful applicant must have: • A recognised professional accounting designation • A minimum of five years post-qualification experience in a service-based organisation • Excellent analytical, organisational, interpersonal and communication skills • A track record of effectively managing and motivating a team • Experience with the operation of a medium to large accounting information system is an asset • Intermediate or advanced proficiency in the use of the Microsoft Office Suite and computer applications such as ACCPAC. REQUIRED EXPERIEnCE & COMPETEnCIES FOR THE ROLE: • Demonstrable track record of successful delivery of organisational transformation and change management on a number of high profile, strategic change projects or programmes

• Strategic outlook and capable of conceptual thinking and timely decision making • Strong bias for action and capable of translating the strategic agenda into actionable, qualitative plans; conveys a sense of urgency and drive to closure.

• Comfortable performing multifaceted projects in conjunction with day-to-day activities • Service oriented, yet able when necessary to be assertive/ persuasive with internal and external customers.

• Superior interpersonal abilities. Ability to get along with diverse personalities, tactful, mature, flexible.

• Must be respectful of confidentiality required for the role and treat all issues in a manner that promotes the integrity of the Finance and Office Management function and CXC at large • Ability to quickly establish credibility with team and others. A decisive individual who is able to flex to recognise and support the organisation’s preferences and priorities.

• Participative management style—advocate of team concept • Experience working with an education body will be an asset REMUnERATIOn & BEnEFITS: CXC is a performance driven organisation and offers a competitive and attractive remuneration and benefits package and opportunities for further training and career experience.

Further information about CXC can be obtained from the website: http://www.cxc.org InTERESTED? Interested applicants should email their resumes to: job-applications@cxc.org DEADLInE: Resumes along with a cover letter should be sent electronically only and should be addressed to: The Registrar Caribbean Examinations Council Re: SAR, FOM

On or before 12 March 2012. Only applicants who have been short-listed will be contacted. Thank you for your interest.

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

Is looking for a

Interested persons can email: info@misickstanbrook.tc

6315

Accountable Receivable Clerk Must have at least 3 years experience and be able to work with little supervision, Able to work with Microsoft Excel and QuickBooks. Must have payroll experience. Excellent communication and written skills. Salary start at $8.00 an hour and is based on experience.

Deadline for applications is February 14th 2012.

To work 5 days per week salary $5.00 per hour.

To work 30 hours per day salary $7.00 per hour.

salary $5.00 per hour.

contact; 242-0971

contact: 231-1133

C & J EMPLOYMENT

FLOWER GIRL

Acting on behalf of our clients: North Caicos Café, Williams Construction, Collin Clare, Cowdrey Lightbourne, Danneris del Carmen Hall, Sugar Ray Smith, Delano Ewing, Hermon Forbes

Is looking for a

Kitchen Helper – salary $5.00 per hour

2 Waitresses

Flower CoOrdinatoR • Must know different kinds of flowers • Must know how to treat flowers • Must know how to arrange and take care of flowers

– salary $5.00 per hour

4 labourers

– salary $5.00 per hour

4 Domestic Workers

– salary $5.00 per hour 6253

Mason

Labourer Pastor to work on call contact: 342-7665

SEEKS

Interested persons should be dependable and send applications via fax at (649) 941-4034 C/o Alliance Realty Ltd.

Is looking for a

6247

Must be willing to work 6 days per week. Salary $6.00 per hour

Is looking for a

6256

Wanted

INNOVATIVE CONCRETE

BIBLE CHURCH OF GOD

Sadrac Michel

3 Barmaids

AIR AND SEA AGENCY

FAX: (649) 946-4661

EMPLOYMENT / SERVICES / NOTICES

6262

PHONE: (649) 946-4664

February 18 - 24, 2012

2 Babysitters

– salary $5.00per hour Experience required

Contact: 941-8382

6270

Contact: 231-3788

VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY!!

the largest readership in the turks & caicos

Griffiths & Partners A t t o r n e y s

82 Cherokee Road, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands.

Box: 143. Tel: (649) 941-8250 and Fax: (649) 941-8251. Web: www.griffithsandpartners.com

ANNOUNCEMENT Griffiths & Partners is a new firm of attorneys in the Turks & Caicos Islands. The attorneys are Conrad Griffiths QC and David Cadman Their new offices are located at

82 Cherokee Road, Providenciales Tel: (649) 941-8250 and Fax: (649) 941-8251

6259

32

February 18 - 24, 2012

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

PHONE: (649) 946-4664 WALLENCIA BEAUTY SALON Is looking to fill the following positions:

33

EMPLOYMENT / SERVICES / NOTICES GESNER GUERRIER T/A A & G VARIETY

PROVO BEVERAGES

BNC CONSULTING GROUP

Is seeking to be employed

Is looking for a

Labourer contact: 242-5425

6275

To work 5 days per week salary $5.00 per hour.

contact: 246-6565

• Must be willing to work 5 days a week • Must be trustworthy and reliable • Hours are 8 qm-4 pm • Salary $5 hourly

Contact: Serge at 941-3637 Between the hours of 9am- 3 pm

6280

Must be willing to work 6 days per week salary $5.00 per hour.

domestic worker 6277

Cosmetologist Domestic Worker

FAX: (649) 946-4661

Is seeking suitably qualified Belongers to fill the position outlined below. Ideal candidate must possess luxury resort experience, a professional, outgoing and friendly demeanor, and a strong command of the English language (oral and written). Salary is based on experience and qualifications.

Lead Server Supervisor The position will oversee service in conjunction with other departmental lead personnel. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, training, scheduling and directing service staff.

• Suitable candidates must have a minimum of 2 years experience working at a 5 Star resort or restaurant in a lead position • Energetic with excellent customer relations skills • Fluent in English, written and verbal • Previous use of POS and cashier / bank experience • Hospitality or Culinary Arts qualification is required Closing Date: February 20, 2012

Vacancy Notice Budget Director

Suitably qualified candidates should apply in writing or by phone to the following:

Bridgette Thomas BNC Consulting Group, Ltd website: www.bnccgroup.com email: bthomas@bnccgroup.com phone: 649-332-2565

6273

SUMMARY OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: An exciting opportunity awaits you in the Turks & Caicos Islands Government (TCIG) Service for the post of Budget Director. The incumbent in this position would head the Budget Office and operate under the general direction of the Permanent Secretary, Finance. He/She would also be the principal adviser to the Minister of Finance on matters relating to the preparation and monitoring of the budget. The successful candidate would also be responsible for formulating and implementing sound and transparent Budgets for the Government; enhancing budgeting strategies as well as coordinating, implementing and monitoring Essential Budgetary Programmes. The incumbent must be able to effectively contribute towards creating a Regulatory Framework to enable an environment for enhanced Inter- Governmental relationships especially as it relates to Budget formulation and implementation. The successful candidate would also be responsible for promoting Medium Term Expenditure Frameworks within the Budget process using modern budgeting techniques; ensuring effective and efficient allocation of resources to Line Ministries and Departments as well as improving the collection, processing and timely dissemination of quality fiscal statistics for the formulation of economic policies and development planning programmes and projects by Government and Development Partners.

GOVERNMENT VACANCY DEPARTMENT: LAND REGISTRY

REGISTRAR OF LANDS SUMMARY OF DUTIES AND RESPONBILITIES: An exciting opportunity awaits you in the Turks & Caicos Islands Government Service for the post of Registrar of Lands. This is a managerial position which has system wide responsibility for the registration of land matters such as transfers, charges, discharges and mutations.

The Registrar of Lands is expected to ensure that documents presented for registration are executed in accordance with the Registered Land Ordinance; monitor all applications for mutations; review calculations for payment of stamp duty and registration fees; certify copies of the register, supervise Land Registry staff, prepare the departments’ annual estimates and ensure the expenditures of the department is within its budget.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE The position requires a first degree or equivalent in a Finance related area from a recognized institution. A Masters Degree in Financial Management and Accounting would be an asset. The candidate must have at least seven (7) years hands-on experience, five (5) of which should have been obtained by managing a public sector financial department or institution.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

SALARY: T59-63 $61,020 - $64,260 per annum.

The position requires the incumbent to have a Bachelors Degree in Law or other related field. The successful applicant should also be able to demonstrate evidence as managerial experience to effectively respond to the challenges of the role.

For persons recruited outside the Turks and Islands, a two (2) year contract is offered.

Other benefits offered include an end-of-contract gratuity of 15% of salary; return passage for family of up to two children under the age of sixteen (16) years as well as duty free concession on the shipment of personal effects imported within six (6) months of appointment.

RENUMERATION PACKAGE: SALARY: $39,960.00 – 43,200.00 PER ANNUM TELEPHONE ALLOWANCE: $1,200 PER ANNUM HOUSING ALLOWANCE

Applicant’s resume including contact number or email address, two letters of reference and a police certificate should be sent to the Permanent Secretary, Office of the Public Service Management, Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands. Fax (649) 946-1582. Email: recruitment@gov.tc Extension: 10318

For more information on the Job Description please contact the Office of the Public Service Management; Telephone 649-946-2801, Extension#: 10322. All resumes with contact information and two letters of References as well as a Police Certificate should be addressed to the Permanent Secretary, Office of the Public Service Management, Church Folly, Grand Turk. Facsimile: 946-1582, Email: recruitment@gov.tc

ONLY SUITABLE CANDIDATES’ APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACKNOWLEDGED

APPLICATION DEADLINE: 29TH February 2012

APPLICATION DEADLINE: 29TH FEBRUARY 2012 6267

6266

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

FAX: (649) 946-4661

EMPLOYMENT / SERVICES / NOTICES LAS MADRES

BCS-CS/MAC MOTORS/GRACE BAY CAR RENTAL/BERTRAND CHARLES

CARIBBEAN PARADISE INN

Is looking for a

M & L AMAZING WORLD

Is looking for two

LAND ROVER SPECIALIST/MECHANIC

Diagnose and repair cars, light, trucks, heavy trucks and earth moving equipment • Diagnose and repair hydraulic drive systems • Working knowledge of diagnostic tools such as GTR, Dealer Connect IDS, WDS,Starscan,DRB3,NGS and Tech 2 Qualified Professional Technician (ASE Certified, Master, L3 and up) Automotive Service Knowledge Must have 15 years experience. Salary is negotiable

Waitress

Salary $5.00 per hour

Send your email to branitz@yahoo.com or call (649) 241-1228

6314

Spa Therapist We are seeking a qualified Spa Therapist with a minimum of five years’ experience for our Thalasso Spa. The successful candidate will be qualified to provide our spa clientele with high quality therapeutic treatments, including a full range of body massages, ear candling, lymphatic drainage, and pregnancy massages, as well as providing manicures and pedicures.

This position will also assist the Spa Manager with day-to-day administrative duties, including inventory management, appointments, etc.

With 5 years experience salary $5.00 per hour 6pm-11pm.

contact: 242-5161

6278

LABOURERS/ CAR WASHERS

Is looking for a

DOMESTIC WORKERS Domestic NEEDED Worker To work 6 days per week salary $5.00 per hour. Fax resumes to

946-5022

6093

PHONE: (649) 946-4664

February 18 - 24, 2012

To work 5 days per week salary $100.00 per week.

contact: 342-0154 or 232-2267

6311

34

GOVERNMENT VACANCY DIRECTOR

DEPARTMENT: ENVIRONMENT & COASTAL RESOURCES

Salary: $500 to $750 per month and 10% - 12.5% commission on treatments provided, (both salary and commission commensurate with experience) plus service charge. On-site bedsit provided.

SUMMARY OF DUTIES AND RESPONBILITIES:

Closing date: 20 March 2012. Belongers only need apply

An exciting opportunity awaits you in the Turks & Caicos Islands Government Service for the post of Director of Environment and Coastal Resources. The successful candidate is responsible for managing the daily operations of the Department of Environment and Coastal Resources. The incumbent in this position is responsible for the review, design and enforcement of Environmental and Coastal Resource policies for the TCI and the granting of appropriate licenses. He /she is also required to carry out strategic planning and make recommendations to the Government regarding the findings of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIAs). The candidate must also be able to formulate clear guidelines; educate the public regarding environment and conservation issues and liaise with various stakeholders including Developers, National Park Users, Fishermen, Water Sport Players, Business Owners and Hoteliers on environmental issues / concerns. The individual must be able to prepare funding proposals for large scale research projects as well as for the acquisition of major equipment.

Dishwasher Dishwashers required for our food and beverage operations. Weekend, holiday and shift work. Must be able to work late hours.

Wages range $5.00 to $5.50 per hour, plus service charge and tips Belongers only need apply. Closing date: 20 March 2012

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Kitchen Helper

The position requires the incumbent to have a Masters Degree in Natural Resource Management, Ecology or other related field. The incumbent is also expected to have at least five (5) years relevant experience, three (3) of which must be at a Senior Management Level.

RENUMERATION PACKAGE:

Point Grace is currently seeking a kitchen helper for our food and beverage operations.

Applicants wishing to apply for the kitchen helper position must have at least 2 years previous experience in a full service restaurant and be willing to work days, nights, and weekends.

SALARY: $39,960.00 – $43,200.00 PER ANNUM TELEPHONE ALLOWANCE: $1,080.00 PER ANNUM For persons recruited outside the Turks and Caicos Islands a two (2) year contract is offered. Other benefits include Housing Allowance, end of contract gratuity of fifteen percent (15%), return packages for a family of up to two (2) children under the age of sixteen (16) years and duty free on the shipment of personal effects imported within six (6) months of the appointment.

Wages range $5.00 to $5.50 per hour, plus service charge and tips Belongers only need apply Closing date: 20 March 2012

For more information on the Job Description please contact the Office of the Public Service Management; Telephone 649-946-2801, Extension#: 10321. All resumes with contact information and two letters of References as well as a Police Certificate should be addressed to the Permanent Secretary, Office of the Public Service Management, Church Folly, Grand Turk. Facsimile: 946-1582, Email: recruitment@gov.tc

Please apply in writing to: , Point Grace, PO Box 700, Grace Bay, Providenciales. Email: humanresources@pointgrace.com Fax: 946-5097

APPLICATION DEADLINE: 29th FEBRUARY 2012 6307

6271

February 18 - 24, 2012

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

PHONE: (649) 946-4664

BUYWISE BEAUTY SUPPLIES is looking for a

Cosmetologist

Barber

6311

Must work 6 days per week salary $7.00 per hour.

AGNES SWANN NORTH CAICOS

Artist

@@Must have experience in making bracelets and chains @@Must be willing to work 6 days per week @@Salary $8.00 per hour plus commission

Contact: 941-5331

Labourers to work 7 days per week 8am5pm salary $5.00 per hour

contact: 246-4769

PYH BEAUTY SALON

HOLE IN THE WALL RESTAURANT

Is looking for the following persons:

is looking for a

Salary commensurate with qualifications.

Resumes can be faxed to 941-3425 and the Labor Department, Providenciales as soon as possible

6321

Barber Labourer Cleaner/ Domestic Worker

Must be willing to work 6 days per week salary $5.00 per hour.

Contact: 347-1030

Established High Volume restaurant requires

Asst. Manager Sharkbite Bar & Grill Qualifications:

• Min 15 years experience in a restaurant management position • Sommelier Certification and experience building extensive wine lists • Human Resources & Management experience, experience in training new staff members • Proficiency in MS Word, MS Excel, and QuickBooks, as well as POS systems with an emphasis on accounting systems for restaurants • Proven ability to build, strengthen and maintain customer relations • Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills • Ideal applicants will have experience in high-pressure situations, with the ability to work independently, and as part of a team. All applicants must have a valid driver’s license, and be willing to work 7 days a week, including weekends and holidays • Salary $400.00 per week plus depending on experience level Please send detailed resume and cover letter to bistroshannon@yahoo. com. Only applicants that send a resume will be considered.

And 1 Kitchen Labourer and 2 Kitchen Helpers

Applicants should send their resumes to

info@karammissick.com

before February 29, 2012. Only Belongers need apply.

Attorney

6316

A local law firm is seeking a highly qualified Attorney-At-Law who has been called to the English Bar/and or a solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales with ability to practice in the Turks and Caicos. Must possess a Bachelor of Laws Degree and hold 15 years of practical experience in litigation, commercial law, intellectual property law, corporate law, insolvency law, property and internet law with the ability to initiate, thoroughly advise on, prepare and plead litigious matters. Previous extensive experience within the Caribbean required and the applicant has to be a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. Salary commensurate with experience.

Send resumes into info@karammissick.com 6315

REGISTERED LAND ORDINANCE, CAP 72

NOTICE LOST LAND CERTIFICATE TITLE NUMBER SECTION ISLAND 20214/58 RURAL SOUTH CAICOS WHEREAS, WILLIAM CLINTON CLARE of Leeward Going Through, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, has declared that the Land Certificate for the abovementioned title number registered in his name was inadvertently mislaid and cannot be found.

TAKE NOTICE that I, ANDREW GALE, Registrar of lands shall issue a new Land Certificate for the said title within six (6) weeks of the date of the first publication of this Notice in a local newspaper and the Gazette.

DATED this 13th day of February, 2012 -----------------------------------REGISTRAR OF LANDS -------------------------------WITNESS

Qualifications:

• At least 10 years experience in the restaurant industry.

• Ability to work on line and prep all type of food.

• Ideal applicants will have experience in high-pressure situations, with the ability to work independently, and as part of a team. All applicants must be willing to work 7 days a week, including weekends and holidays.

• Salary $5.50 per hour.

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

A local law firm is seeking a highly knowledgeable Corporate Administrator.

The successful candidate must have a minimum of ten years experience in all aspects of corporate management procedures and practices in the TCI including anti-money laundering and compliance procedures. Must have a graduate degree in Business or Finance and up-to-date professional certifications in AntiMoney Laundering and Compliance. Must also have the knowledge and skill to manage the entire corporate arm of the firm, including finances and staff, with much experience in international client relations. Knowledge of the Bahamian corporate law system and the law systems of surrounding Caribbean nations will be a plus. Salary will commensurate with qualifications.

6312

chef

FAX: (649) 946-4661

CORPORATE ADMINISTRATOR

Is looking for 4

6322

Is looking for the following persons:

contact: 343-1627

EMPLOYMENT / SERVICES / NOTICES

6255

POWER AND BEAUTY HAIR SALON

35

6323

VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY!!

the largest readership in the turks & caicos

6296

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

Ward Consultancy

STANLEY BINDER

Acting on behalf of our clients

SEEKS

Lydia Forbes, Anny Garcia Beauty Salon is looking for the following persons:

Seeks the following, one

Labourer

Contact: 244-5925

6276

Must be willing to work from 8am-5pm Monday-Friday Salary $5.00 per hour

NEEDED

contact 242-2927

6310

Is looking for a

Domestic Worker /

Domestic

To work 6 days per week salary $5.50 per hour.

per week salary $5.00 per hour.

Housekeeper

contact: 243-6772

6317

There is a current recruitment exercise being undertaken to find a replacement Registrar whose main duties are set out below. In the meantime, and for a period of at least three months beginning as soon as possible, it is hoped to recruit a person into the post on a temporary basis. The salary and allowances payable will be on a pro-rata basis for the period of the appointment.

contact: 649-245-4750 ATRIUM MANAGEMENT LTD.

ADA HOWELL

Registrar of Supreme Court and Court of Appeal

To work 5 days per week salary $5.00 per hour.

Must be PASA and IKO Certified with a minimum of 3 years instructing experience qualified individuals may.

Is looking for a

Temporary Vacancy

Labourer

6265

Domestic Worker

– salary $5.00 per hour

Contact: 649-332-5533

INSTRUCTOR

Cleaner

Cosmetologist – salary $200 per week

6268

Tel: 241 2446

6264

Private residence…Live in for cleaning, care of large dogs, cats, bird, plumbing, electrical, pool , painting, cooking. Own car.. 6 days $800.00/ mo.

Belongers only.

JESSE EWING

ROSA DEL

Is looking for the following persons:

KITEBOARDING

BUTLER

FAX: (649) 946-4661

EMPLOYMENT / SERVICES / NOTICES

JEAN SOUVENIR

Is looking for a

Worker Labourer To work 6 days To work 5 days

contact: 333-010 6316

per week salary $5.00 per hour.

contact: 347-1030

6313

PHONE: (649) 946-4664

February 18 - 24, 2012

JOB OPPORTUNITY

SUMMARY OF DUTIES AND RESPONBILITIES:

ENGINEER

The incumbent in this position is responsible for the efficient day-to-day operations of the Supreme Court and its Registry. He/She will work under the direction of, and assist, the Chief Justice, issue process and ensure due execution of judgments; supervise the administration of cases including setting dates for and issue hearing notices; correspond with Attorneys and Litigants to ensure that all files are properly maintained; manage the Registry Office and supervise staff. In addition, the successful candidate will act as Registrar of the Court of Appeal, which includes the preparation of appeal bundles; as well as scheduling and attending the sittings of the Court under the direction of the President of the Court of Appeal. The Registrar also manages the budget for the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal.

He / She is also expected to train, develop and appraise staff in the Providenciales and Grand Turk Office and will be supported by a Deputy and Senior Deputy Registrar. The successful incumbent may also be required to perform any other related duties as may be assigned by the Chief Justice.

Job Responsibilities:

@@ Design and implementation of preventative maintenance programs for transportation system @@ Design and implement safety measures for transportation system @@ Managing a cost budget for transportation system @@ Experience Required: @@ Minimum of 10 years experience in marine operations to include: @@ First aid and fire safety @@ Electrical engineering/ mechanical engineering @@ Preventative maintenance and major overhaul of inboard diesel marine engines automobiles @@ Preventative maintenance and repair of gasoline and diesel engine automobiles @@ Training and supervision of staff @@ Managing budgets @@ IT literate with training and experience with Microsoft Office software @@ This position is immediately available based on qualifications and experience salary for this position starts at $48,000.00 per year all applicants will be reviewed however only qualified candidates will be contacted for an interview

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE The position requires the incumbent to have Seven (7) years post-admission experience and he/she must be qualified for admission under the Legal Profession Ordinance [Cap 2:10] to practice as an Attorney of the Supreme Court of the Turks and Caicos Islands or admitted to practice as a barrister of solicitor in a Commonwealth jurisdiction or Ireland.

RENUMERATION PACKAGE: SALARY $ 48,600 – 51,840 PER ANNUM

Closing date: February 25th, 2012 WCT LTD. South Side Marina Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands Email: wct@tciway.tc tel: 649-232-4110

Other benefits offered in addition to basic salary include Transportation allowance, Professional allowance, Telephone allowance, Housing allowance and economy return passage.

Applicant’s resume including contact number or email address, two letters of reference and a police certificate should be sent to the Permanent Secretary, Office of the Public Service Management, Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands.

Fax (649) 946-1582. Email: recruitment@gov.tc Extension: 10318 Deadline: February 28th 2012

VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY!!

4305

the largest readership in the turks & caicos

6250

36

February 18 - 24, 2012

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

PHONE: (649) 946-4664 Albert’s Cleaning Services North Caicos

EMPLOYMENT / SERVICES / NOTICES

SAMUEL BOAT FISHING Is looking for a

Is looking for a

Labourer Fisherman To work 5 days contact: 941-7051

6263

To work 6 days per week salary $7.00 per hour.

37

per week salary $5.00 per hour.

contact: 442-0787

6261

Rock of Jesus Ministry

Is looking to fill the following positions:

Is seeking employment for :

• Cleaners • Maids • Life guard • Masseuse • Beach/ Pool Attendants • Bartenders • Front Desk Manager • Part-time & live-in positions available immediately

(1) Video technician & 1 Video Man

Must be able to produce graphic designs, special effects, editor animations, commercials etc.

(1) Recording Engineer

Must have knowledge of computer, sound system, music industry, radio & audio engineering systems.

Applicants must have a minimum of five years experience. Must be able to understand, speak & write English. Must have a valid driver’s license Must be a Christian. Salary based on experience.

Please deliver resume with salary expectations to Front Desk preference will be given to qualified Belongers 6229

Please fax or email resume to

Fax: 946-4283 Email: bac@tciway.tc or info@roj.tc Situable applicants Will be contacted for an interview.

6320

VACANCIES Building Materials Ltd

POSTIONS AVAILABLE

Wishes to hire persons for the following positions:

INVENTORY CLERK – PLS & GDT Job Requirements: The Inventory Clerk holds a very key position in determining the continued success of the company. The Receiving Officer must think and work strategically at all times as complimentary and within the framework of the strategic goals set by the company through senior management. Having a tremendous grasp of the tactical measures required to successfully achieve set goals is also mandatory. The perspective must always be a healthy one that balances cost effectiveness within the scope of achieving best gross margins, inventory control and also new business opportunities that would take the form of innovative ordering and new department creation and developing. Must possess an A.A, BA Degree or equivalent in the related field.

Salary $2500.00 monthly

Grand Turk Cruise Center LTD is currently seeking qualified applicants to fill the following position:

Carpenter

ASSISTANT LEAD Job Requirements: Assistant Lead directly supervises Sales Associates in a specific department/s. The Assistant Lead is responsible for the dayto-day management of the store. Duties include supervisory functions such as personnel work, inventory monitoring, budget compliance, sales promotion and financial performance.

Assistant Lead is also responsible for ensuring the highest level of customer service throughout the store. He / She is a role model and leader and must solve issues, make informed decisions and manage the workforce and time efficiently and effectively in order to achieve maximum results in the financial, operational processes and people areas. Must possess a BA Degree or equivalent in the related field.

Salary 2800.00 monthly

@@ Applicants must be able to demonstrate proficiency in both rough and finish carpentry and be familiar with the safe and efficient operation of most commonly used power tools. @@ Shape or cut materials to specific measurements using hand tools, machines or power saw. @@ Interpret sketches or basic plans to prepare project layouts and determine dimensions and materials required. @@ Build and repair wooden bridges and buildings. @@ Build or repair fixtures and fittings used in buildings. @@ Erect scaffolding and ladders for assembling structures above ground. @@ Repair or replace damaged or defective parts or sections of structures using hand tools. @@ Finish surfaces of woodwork or wallboard in buildings using paint, hand tools and paneling. @@ Inspect ceiling, floor tile, wall coverings, siding, glass or woodwork to detect broken or damaged structures. @@ Knowledge of plumbing and/or masonry would be an asset. @@ Applicants must be willing to work nights, weekends and holidays. Must be able to lift min. of 50lbs, speak English and able to work well as part of a culturally diverse team.

Sales Clerks, Sales Associates & Sales Persons & Cashier Applicants Must: Have At least 5 years experience or prior working knowledge of the related department.

Must be a High School Graduate and Computer Literate.

Salary $6.50 per hour.

Driver

Have at least 5 years experience driving and operating heavy equipment and trucks 2 tons or more Must possess a class B – H Turks and Caicos Islands Driver’s

SALARY / WAGES BASED ON QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE.

License.

Salary $9.00 per hour

Labourer/Cleaner Salary $6.00 per hour

IT Computer Consultant Applicants Must: Have At least 6 years experience or prior working knowledge in the related field.

Must be possess B.A. degree in IT or related field.

Must be Consistent, Punctual & Responsible able to work on your own initiative?

Salary $2400.00 per month

Mason Applicants Must: Have At least 5 years experience or prior working knowledge in the related field.

Salary $6.00 per hour All Applicants must be: Punctual & Responsible able to work on your own initiative Have a friendly temperament and be willing to go beyond the call of duty to make customers happy.

Be able to write and speak English fluently (bi - multilingual is a plus) Be wiling to work flexible hours.

Be willing to work as a team member.

Be able to work with little or no supervision.

Financial Controller Applicants Must: Have At least 6 years experience in the related field Possesses a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting CPA or (equivalent) Prepare detailed and necessary Financial Reports to Management Must be Consistent, Punctual & Responsible able to work independently and able to supervise an accounting team of 5-10 persons Be wiling to work flexible hours.

Be willing to work as a team member.

Salary: $ 6800.00 per month

Applications for all positions will be accepted from Belongers only.

Submit Resumes to or collect applications at:

6325

Interested persons should contact:

GTCC Human Resources Fax: (649) 946-1041 or E-Mail: admin@grandturkcc.com

GRACE BAY SUITES

FAX: (649) 946-4661

Building Materials Ltd. The Human Resource Department Email: hr@doitcenterprovo.com

38

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

Sports International

February 18 - 24, 2012

T&T FA claim Warner responsible for missing Haiti earthquake funds FUNDS donated for earthquake-hit Haiti that never made it to the Caribbean island were paid into a bank account controlled by former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner, the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) insisted on Thursday.

Some £440,000 of emergency aid money has gone missing since it was donated two years ago, and FIFA have frozen funding to the TTFF until they explain what has happened.

In 2010, Warner was special adviser to the TTFF and the

cash from FIFA (250,000 US dollars) and the Korean FA (500,000 US dollars) was paid into a federation account they claim only he controlled.

The TTFF say they ‘surrendered their authority’ to Warner, who resigned from football last year after being

Vacancy Notice

Director – Governor’s Office

accused of bribery, and he has refused to explain what happened to the money.

A TTFF statement said: ‘The TTFF acknowledges it is aware of funds made available by both FIFA and the Korean football federation for the football victims of Haiti’s devastating earthquake in 2010.

‘However, we are unable to confirm the quantum of funds received, as these monies did not go into the account used by the TTFF administration for its day-to-day operations, but instead to the TTFF’s LOC (Local Organising Committee) account as was requested by Mr Jack Warner, the former vice-president of FIFA and special adviser to the TTFF. ‘The current executive is unaware of how these funds were disbursed or utilised and is awaiting the promised audited accounts from Mr Warner.’

The statement added: ‘We never questioned his authority

Control: Jack Warner allegedly controls the bank account aid funds were paid into

or actions and are now in a position of despair as we are starved of funds by FIFA until full disclosure, which we are unable to provide without Mr Warner’s input. Sadly Mr Warner seems disinclined to comply with our repeated requests.’

FIFA is withholding Warner’s pension - reportedly

worth £30,000 a year to the 69-year-old.

Warner, a government minister in his country, himself suggested on Trinidadian television that the allegations were a conspiracy.

He said: ‘I have nothing to answer to anybody. Who wants to make allegations, make allegations. Ask yourselves, as objective members of the media, ‘why now...?’And after you get why now, just join the dots and see.’

Lord Triesman, the ex-FA and England 2018 World Cup bid chairman, said last year that Warner had asked him for a £500,000 donation to buy the rights to the World Cup for Haiti so that games could be shown to survivors of the catastrophic earthquake on big screens.

‘I was later told Jack Warner owned the television rights for Haiti,’ Triesman told a Parliamentary committee.

‘I don’t know if it is true.’

(Dailymail.com)

SUMMARY OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: An exciting opportunity awaits you in the Turks and Caicos Islands Government for the Post of Director in the Governor’s Office. The incumbent in this senior position is the critical interface between the Governor’s Office and the TCIG, organisations across the islands including businesses, Non Governmental Organisations, and in due course the Legislative Assembly and Cabinet. He/ she is expected to guide and manage these key relationships, give policy advice and provide strategic and technical support to the Governor as it relates to the effective operations of the Governor’s Office and House. He / she is also responsible for preparing annual estimates of expenditure for both the Governor’s Office and House to ensure that it is in alignment with budgetary provisions. The post holder must manage the Governor’s Office to coordinate meetings, seminars and conferences; oversee the preparation and arrangements of various ceremonial functions; supervise staff; as well as accompany the Governor at meetings, conferences and seminars to represent the Turks and Caicos Islands and act as a central Point of Contact.

The incumbent must also work with the Turks and Caicos Management Team to contribute on behalf of the Governor to policies, strategies and initiatives that impact the Turks and Caicos Islands; and attend meetings on the Governor’s behalf.

Zambia win Africa Cup of Nations after dramatic penalty shootout

Zambia win Africa Cup of Nations after dramatic penalty shootout

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE The position requires a first degree or equivalent in a Management related area from a recognized institution. The candidate must have at least five (5) years experience, two (2) of which should been functioning at a managerial level.

SALARY: $49,800 - $54,000 per annum.

Other benefits offered in addition to basic salary include Transportation Allowance and Telephone Allowance.

Applicant’s resume including contact number or email address, two letters of reference and a police certificate should be sent to the Permanent Secretary, Office of the Public Service Management, Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands. Fax (649) 946-1582. Email: recruitment@gov.tc Extension: 10318 ONLY SUITABLE CANDIDATES’ APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACKNOWLEDGED 6324

ZAMBIA lifted the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time after beating the Ivory Coast 8-7 in a dramatic penalty shootout in Sunday’s final in Libreville.

Ivory Coast captain Didier Drogba missed a penalty in the second half of regulation play as the match ended scoreless after extra time.

Both teams were successful with their first seven penalties of the shootout, including Drogba, until Manchester City defender Kolo Toure saw his effort saved by Zambia goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene.

Rainford Kalaba then missed the chance to clinch the game for Zambia when he shot over.

With the tension almost

unbearable, Arsenal forward Gervinho blazed his penalty wide, and this time Zambia’s Stoppila Sunzu made no mistake to give his side an emotional victory.

It was a fairytale triumph for Zambia, who returned to Gabon 19 years after the plane crash which claimed the lives of the team’s coach and 18 members of their squad.

The Copper Bullets finally won Africa’s top football prize after losing in two previous finals, while the favoured Elephants suffered a shootout defeat again after a similar heartbreak against Egypt in 2006 -- when Drogba also missed a penalty.

Zambia’s French coach

Herve Renard was overjoyed.

“This represents something enormous, something which appeared unrealisable before the competition began,” he told AFP. “I know we’re not the best but we have a strength and force that animated our team.”

But for Chelsea striker Drogba and his starstudded team it was a bitter disappointment after not conceding a goal in open play in their six matches in the tournament.

Clear-cut chances were few and far between in wet conditions, but Ivorian goalkeeper Boubacar Barry had to make a brilliant early save to foil Nathan Sinkala.

February 18 - 24, 2012

Sports International

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

39

Mancini rejects claims he treated Carlos Tevez “like a dog”

Alastair Cook became the first English captain to score back-to-back one-day centuries.

Cook looks like a complete player says Boycott FORMER England batsman Geoffrey Boycott says Alastair Cook looks like a “complete player” following his second successive oneday international ton.

Cook is the first England captain to achieve the feat, adding 102 to his career-best 137 from Monday, as the tourists beat Pakistan by 20 runs.

Boycott said: “It was totally different to how he played in the Test matches.

“His feet are moving well, he’s getting right forward and right back.

He seems to have a wider range of

shot.”

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 live, Boycott added: “He is driving through the covers and punching the ball off the back foot.

“He looks like the complete player so you start to think why didn’t he play like that in when you needed 140 to win the Test in Abu Dhabi?”

Victory in Abu Dhabi gave England a 2-0 series lead and the tourists now head to Dubai for the third one-day international where they will look to tie up the fourmatch series. (BBC)

Djokovic receives Serbia’s national award NOVAK Djokovic’s domination of men’s tennis has made him a hero in his homeland of Serbia, and the world No. 1’s achievements were recognised on Wednesday when he was awarded the nation’s highest honour.

After winning three out of four grand slam titles in 2011 and clinching the Australian Open in Melbourne last month, Djokovic was given the Order of the Karadjordje’s Star of the 1st degree by Serbian president Boris Tadic.

It is just the latest accolade to be handed to Djokovic, who was also named Laureus Sportsman of the year last week after winning 41 matches in a row at the start of 2011 and losing only six all year.

“I am indebted to my people, and I will do my best to continue representing our beautiful country in the best possible way.”

Tadic praised Djokovic, saying: “Novak deserves the medal for special merits in representing Serbia.”

Serbian Tennis Federation president Vuk Jeremic described Djokovic, who was part of Serbia’s Davis Cup-winning team in 2010, as the greatest sporting hero the country has produced.

“Tennis has become the most popular sport in Serbia and a source of collective pride,” Jeremic told CNN of Djokovic’s impact.

ROBERTO Mancini has rejected Carlos Tevez’s claims he was treated “like a dog” by the Manchester City manager.

Tevez made the allegations before returning to City for the first time in three months.

He criticised the way Mancini spoke to him before accusing him of refusing to come off the bench in the 2-0 defeat to Bayern Munich in September.

“I totally disagree with Carlos, what he said, because I never treated him badly,” Mancini said.

“Maybe the opposite, I treated him too well, always.”

Tevez, 28, trained alone at the club’s Carrington training ground on Wednesday after undergoing brief medical tests following his return from Argentina on Tuesday.

He has been absent since the start of November and has not played for the club since falling out with Mancini after the game at the Allianz Arena, losing almost £10 million in wages, fines and lost bonuses.

Tevez has insisted that he wants to force his way back into the City side but criticised Mancini in an interview in Argentina on Monday night.

He was linked with Inter Milan, AC Milan and Paris St Germain during the transfer window but failed to secure a move away from the Etihad Stadium.

Earlier this month Mancini named the Argentine in his 25-man squad

Carlos Tevez claimed he was treated “like a dog” by Roberto Mancini.

for the remainder of the season.

But he is not in the club’s European squad so has been left in Manchester ahead of the Europa League round of 32 first-leg tie in Porto.

Mancini was reluctant to discuss the matter ahead of the game in Portugal, and said: “I don’t want to answer the question because the game is more important than this.

“But I answer this question and then no more, because we have this game. It is an important game against a top club like Porto.”

One striker who Mancini is ready to welcome back to boost City’s bid for a maiden Premier League title is

Mario Balotelli.

Balotelli, 21, has completed a four-match domestic suspension for an apparent stamp on Tottenham’s Scott Parker.

And Mancini has urged his fellow Italian to keep his cool during the crucial run-in.

He said: “I have spoken to Mario, two weeks ago.

“I said, ‘Please, we have 13 games to play and the Europa League too - try to have good behaviour on the pitch and think only of playing football’.

“I think if his head is okay in the next two months, he will be an important player.” (BBC)

Robinho brace helps Milan thrash Arsenal

The 24-year-old received recognition of his incredible year last week, when he was named the Laureus Sportmans of the Year for 2011.

“People identify with Novak, and draw great inspiration from his cando, never-give-up attitude. He’s the role model -- unbreakable, devoted, patriotic, charismatic.”

As well as the impact Djokovic has had on the court, Jeremic also hailed the positive impact he has had on Serbia’s image around the world.

“No athlete in our history has become such a national hero. And as far as Serbia’s image abroad is concerned -- can you think of a better public diplomacy vehicle?”

Djokovic will next be in action at the Dubai Tennis Championships at the end of this month for an event he has won the last three years.

AC MILAN are all but through to the quarterfinals of the Champions League after thrashing Arsenal 4-0 at the San Siro on Wednesday.

Brazilian striker Robinho scored twice as the Serie A champions dominated the first leg of the last-16 tie with the north London club.

Kevin Prince Boateng put Milan ahead in the 15th minute with a sumptuous half-volley after chesting down a chipped pass from Alberto Nocerino.

The Ghana midfielder’s strike flew in off the underside of the bar leaving Wojciech Szczesny with no chance.

Robinho doubled the lead seven minutes before the break heading home a cut-back from Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Despite the arrival of Thierry Henry in the second half (his last appearance for the Gunners before he returns to the New York Red Bulls) things quickly went from bad to worse.

In the 49th minute, Ibrahimovic and Robinho combined again on the edge of Arsenal’s penalty area before a slip by Thomas Vermaelen gifted

Kevin Prince Boateng opened the scoring for AC Milan against Arsenal with a sensational goal at the San Siro

the Brazilian a free shot which he put past Szczesny with ease.

Robine Van Persie forced a fine save from Christian Abbiati in the 65th minute but it was a rare chance for the Dutch striker on a miserable night for Arsene Wenger’s team.

Ibrahimovic completed the rout converting from the penalty spot after he was brought down by Johan Djourou 12 minutes from the end.

“We were never in the game, we

were very poor both offensively and defensively,” Wenger said, AFP reported.

“It was shocking to see how we were beaten everywhere, it was the worst performance in Europe by far.

There was not one moment during the 90 when we were really in the game,” he added, AFP reported.

The return leg at the Emirates Stadium will be played on March 6.

(CNN)

40

Sports National

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

February 18 - 24, 2012

Charlie’s Corner

Single leg amputee marathon runner Rick Ball (middle) interacts with the TCIFA academy players.

Young footballers learn about courage from single-leg amputee marathon runner CHILDREN from the Turks and Caicos Islands Football Association (TCIFA) Youth Academy were treated to a visit from a special guest last weekend when Canadian singleleg amputee marathon runner Rick Ball took time out for a chat.

The heroic athlete lost his left leg after a motorcycle accident when he was twenty-one. However, rather than letting the incident hinder his goals he saw it as a challenge to overcome and has lived a remarkable life ever since.

Technical Director Matthew Green invited Rick to visit the TCIFA’s Academy fields after meeting him whilst attending the Provo Private Schools’ athletic meet last week. Green hoped Rick could share stories about his life with the players and inspire them to achieve greater things. “It was great to have Rick take time out from his vacation to meet with our players. His story is an inspiration to us all and proves

that one can achieve anything if you believe in yourself and receive support and encouragement”. Green added: “We have so many talented young people in this country, but sadly many of them do not realise their full potential and they allow negative people or small obstacles to hold them back. Hopefully Rick’s words will encourage our players to stay focused and committed”.

After giving a brief review of his life, Rick passed around several of his artificial legs and answered a series of questions from the enthusiastic and inquisitive group of players. He was accompanied by his two sons Brayden and Carter who posed for photographs after their father had a chance to prove his speed to the young players. The amputee athlete normally competes in long distance races (he has run a marathon in under three hours) however he showed he is no slouch over the shorter distances

by running against a group of players from the girls academy.

Rick said he has thoroughly enjoyed his stay in the Turks and Caicos Islands and plans to return in the future, however he is now focusing on qualifying for the Olympic Games in London later this year. “It has been great to interact with the young people of these beautiful islands. The kids are very enthusiastic and it is great to see associations like the TCIFA putting a lot of time and effort into developing these children into excellent athletes and responsible young people. They have a great set up here and I would encourage more young people to take up the sport and see where it can take you. I have been lucky to have travelled a lot in my life and this is due to my involvement in sport, you never know what opportunities may come your way if you work hard and follow your dreams”.

CGA starts learn to swim for females in Grand Turk IN ITS efforts to continue developing grassroots sports in the TCI, the Commonwealth Games Association (CGA) recently announced the commencement of Learn to Swim programmes designed for the girls and women of Grand Turk.

Every Saturday for the month of February the Commonwealth Games Association will provide swimming lesson at Bohio Beach from 8:30am.

Registration is $10 and includes a free bathing suit for the children!

The first swimming lesson took place on February 4th, when 22 girls came excited with their swimsuits and swim caps. It wasn’t 10 minutes before the girls went from squealing to giggling. The little girls learned how to blow bubbles, put their face in the water and started to learn how to float. The older girls and adults started to learn some of the basic techniques in swimming.

Ali Smith, who just completed his Caribbean Coaching Certification Programme in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, headed up the coaching with the assistance of Canadian

Charlie McKnight (right) has big dreams.

Charlie wants to be England’s new manager and captain Dear Mr. Bernstein, MY NAME is Charlie McKnight. I am 10 years old and a Grade Six pupil at the Ashcroft School, Providenciales in the beautiful Turks and Caicos Islands.

I want to be the new England manager. I also want to be England captain. I am captain of my school soccer team. I speak very good English, unlike the last guy. I have played soccer all my life. I understand soccer and soccer players. I love soccer. I am used to playing the game for free so if you make me captain and manager it will cost you nothing. You could donate the money you save to my school to buy them proper soccer equipment or to other children’s schools around the world to buy them soccer balls, boots and kits.

As manager I would teach all the players how to shake hands, how to tuck in their shirts, pass the ball and not be greedy unless in front of goal. I would teach them how to use their left foot and how to take a penalty. I would also teach them how to sing the song they sing before every game as many of them never know the words.

After we win I would buy them all ice cream. Actually if we lose I would also buy them ice cream but smaller ones.

Can I have both jobs please? One last thing. I would have a rule that all the players are in bed by 8pm as my Mom tells me you need a good night’s sleep before a big game.

Thank you, Charlie.

WIV Provo Premier League:

AFC Academy and Pedagogue FC draw 1-1

A little girl learning the basics of swimming.

Capacity Support Officer Kathleen Reeves.

The association sent out special “thank you” to Ms. Lisa Catrell of Kansas, a visitor to Grand Turk, for collecting several bathing suits from

her home town and sending them down to assist with the programme.

The CGA added that they were excited to see the participation grow in the community and encouraged all females to take part.

THE current number three and four placed teams in the WIV Provo Premier League: the AFC Academy and Pedagogue FC recently battled to a 1-1 draw.

The game earned both sides one point which pushed the Academy up to four and their opponents off of zero.

The flawless Cheshire Hall FC and the SWA Sharks FC are still in the lead with six points from two games.

The battle was close and a tale of missed opportunities ending with a scored penalty for each side. The scorer for Academy was Fred Dorvil and for Pedagogue, Dane Ritchie.

Both teams cancelled each other out in the first half although Academy went in 1-0 up after a penalty was given that could also

have been seen as an indirect free kick for obstruction and Fred Dorvil converted.

Pedagogue dominated the second half for 20-30 minutes after bringing on some substitutes, but were guilty of wasting several good chances in the process. However, later substitutions by the Academy brought them back to life as Pedagogue tired and they were on top for the last 15 minutes with four easy one-on-one chances missed or saved, including an open goal by Luis Turbyfield from six yards to win the game.

Gerry Gregg also pulled off a stunning save late on at the other end to thwart Pedagogue and save a point.

Haroon Swaby was voted as the President’s Player of the Week.

February 18 - 24, 2012

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

41

PABA All-Star Weekend:

West beat East in battle of basketball stars

A THRILLER erupted on Saturday night and basketball fans savoured each second of the ticking clock as the two teams battled to three overtimes before the West pulled away for an 87-84 victory in the Provo Amateur Basketball Association (PABA) AllStar Weekend.

Chad Campbell from the Flyers led the attack with a double-double (23 points and 11 rebounds). That

dominance later earned him the MVP award.

The two-night event was jam packed with activities. On Friday night, the “International Night” the Haitians whipped the Jamaicans 6522, the Dominicans beat the Filipinos 37-23 and the Bahamians defeated Turks and Caicos 40-32.

Keith Cox’s Steelers swept both titles: the Three Point (won by

Alfredo Duncanson) and the Slam Dunk competition (won by Cameron Henry).

On Saturday night WIV defeated PTV for a second consecutive year;

Pastors gave the coaches a “holy” beating 22-14 to also defend their trophy.

The event was sponsored by Connolly KIA Motors and Tropical

Net Rockers Football Club successfully defending their WFL title.

Net Rockers FC repeat as WFL champs NET Rockers Football Club proved that they are the most dominant female club on the island chain at the moment after lifting the Women’s Football League (WFL) title for a straight second year.

Needing just a draw against rivals, the Academy Hurricanes, the champs managed just that last Sunday in the final league clashes.

Both teams fought fearlessly with many shots on goal, but without a successful strike for either side the game ended in a stalemate. Net Rockers FC finished with 23 points, while the Hurricanes tallied 20 points.

Revolution FC took the third place position with nine points.

Their last league game was a victory over the youthful AFC Strikers (who finished fourth).

Although the Strikers defended well, the third placed league finishers managed to score twice. Joan Whent penetrated the defence in the 38th minute while in the 76th minute Aldine Woolery scored the second.

The President of the WFL, Ms. Candace Hanchell noted that: “The continuous improvement of players’ skills is evident in the level of competition this year. All teams have competed fiercely and congratulations are in order for Net Rockers FC on their win not only for this season but for consecutively holding the WFL’s league championship title for a period of two years.” Ms. Hanchell also notes that she is proud of the level of commitment from each player and coaches alike and believes that a special mention is in order for Academy Strikers as they are the youngest team of the league, but they continue to tackle the game and the ball with full enthusiasm and has shown improvements at a massive rate.”

The WFL Cup Games will commence on Sunday at 16:00h with the Academy Hurricanes and Revolution FC battling before Net Rockers play the Strikers at 18:00h. The general public is encouraged to attend.

The 2012 PABA All-Stars’ Champions: the West

Chad Campbell nabbed the MVP award

Auto Rentals. The PABA also sent special “thank you” to Josephine Connolly, the National Sports Commission and NAPA Auto Parts for the donation of 25 basketballs.

42

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

February 18 - 24, 2012

February 18 - 24, 2012

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

43

44

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

February 18 - 24, 2012