TCWN March 22-28, 2014

Weekly News outrage at Volume 28 | No. 12 | March 22 - 28, 2014

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Turks and Caicos

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Gov’t tax plan

Tempers flared when the Premier and several Government ministers met with residents and businesspersons on Tuesday (March 18) for PAGE public input on their tax rationalisation plan.  5

Governor Peter Beckingham, Premier Rufus Ewing and the Sailrock development’s principals Ted Weldon and Colin Kihnke turn the sod

Sailrock development moves 22 forward in South Caicos PAGE 

Been family increases reward to $40,000 PAGE  4

Gov’t refutes published figures for business licence increases PAGE  4

Governor insists crime PAGE is not at crisis levels  9

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TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

March 22 - 28, 2014

March 22 - 28, 2014

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

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4

NEWS

March 22 - 28, 2014

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

Robert ‘Robbie’ Been Senior was killed behind his own shopping centre

The van allegedly used in the murder of Robert Been

Been family increases reward to $40,000 – Police say criminals were not robbers A MASSIVE $40,000 is now on offer for anyone that provides information that leads to the arrest and charge of Robbie Been’s killer.

Last week Crimestoppers offered $5,000 for constructive tips but in desperation for immediate justice his family have since upped the bounty by $35,000.

Robert ‘Robbie’ Been Senior was murdered behind his own shopping centre and apartment block on Tuesday, March 4, in a violent point blank shooting.

On Friday morning (March 14) police gathered press to their headquarters on Old Airport Road

to provide an update on the murder investigation.

According to Acting Superintendent Ira Baptiste of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), to date no one has been arrested in connection with the horrific incident and police continue to search desperately for leads.

Baptiste explained that multiple shots were heard being discharged in the vicinity of Turquoise Point Plaza on Dolphin Road just before 8pm on the day in question.

The three story road-front shopping centre houses TP Liquor Store, Stacks nightclub, Cash Wiz pawn shop, Girls

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 Editor (At Large) Daisy Handfield - Staff Reporter Cord Garrido-Lowe - Graphics Consultant (At Large) Dilletha Lightbourne-Williams - Office Manager Email: (Advertising) tcnews@tciway.tc, (News) tcweeklynews@yahoo.com, tcweeklynews@gmail.com Tel. 649-946-4664 (office), 649-232-3508 (after hours) Website address: www.tcweeklynews.com

R Us hairdresser and Jerkies restaurant, and residential apartments.

The 47-year-old complex owner was attacked while he was getting into his car at the back of the building in Grace Bay. Following his slaughter the killer and his driver sped away from the area in a silver Toyota Hiace van with grey stripes.

Emergency services were called to the scene of the incident and they found Been with multiple gunshot wounds to his body and head.

He was taken to Cheshire Hall Medical Centre but doctors were unable to revive him and he was pronounced dead at 8.30pm.

During the press conference police were unable to provide many details on the incident “as that would jeopardise investigations”.

However Baptise said: “From our investigations so far the motive was not robbery because nothing was taken from him.

“He was shot and the person didn’t just simply walk away, he got into a van and the van left the area.”

The van thought to have been used in the incident was apprehended by officers the following day.

Police have released photographs in the hope that someone may remember seeing it on the evening of the shooting.

Baptiste explained that CCTV cameras captured the incident but the footage is poor and the individuals cannot be identified. However officers confirmed that more than once person is being sought.

They also said that a shotgun was used in the slaughter but were unwilling to release further details on the number of shots fired.

Police press officer Audley Astwood said: “I can assure you that the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force remains committed.

“This was a heinous crime and we are sparing nothing. Our main goal

is to make sure the persons who did this are brought to justice.

“We are not sleeping on this, we are working hard to bring these persons to justice, and I have complete confidence in my coworkers and the Commissioner.”

Police urged anyone with information about this incident to call Crimestoppers on 1-800-8477 or use the Crimestoppers online reporting page www.crimestoppers.tc.

Information will be treated in the strictest of confidence. All calls are answered by Miami Dade Police and no one from the RTCIPF will know who called.

A funeral service will be held for Robert Been this Saturday (March 22) at 10am at the Church of St Monica on Leeward Highway, Providenciales.

The burial will take place at 2.30pm at St Thomas Anglican Church Cemetery, Grand Turk also on Saturday. (RB)

Gov’t refutes published figures for business licence increases PREMIER Rufus Ewing advised the public to disregard recent media reports detailing increases to business licences this week.

In a press release on Friday (March 14), he stated that the figures, which were initially printed in the TCI Sun newspaper for the week March 8 to 15, do not give a true reflection of the fees currently under consideration by Cabinet.

The release noted that the Government is currently considering a revision of the business licensing structure and fees, in addition to other fees, as a part of its tax rationalisation strategy.

He added that further consideration, and the opportunity for public input, would be made during

the ongoing public consultations on tax matters, two of which were held over this past week.

“Any new fees that Cabinet approves will be properly communicated to the general public by May 1, 2014 and implemented by July 1, 2014,” the release read.

The Government is further encouraging members of the public to make every effort to attend the community consultations.

On Monday, March 31, there will be another public meeting at the Clement Howell High School auditorium and on Tuesday, June 1 at the Five Cays Community Centre.

Both meetings will start at 7pm.

March 22 - 28, 2014

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

NEWS

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Gov’t tax plan sparks outrage in residents

TEMPERS flared when the Premier and several Government ministers met with residents and businesspersons on Tuesday (March 18) for public input on its tax rationalisation plan.

The second in a series of meetings was held at the Gustarvus Lightbourne Sports Centre in Providenciales and drew a large crowd, unlike the first meeting held at the Wesley Methodist School the night before.

The tax options presented by the Government were payroll tax or infrastructure maintenance levy/ property tax.

The Government is largely in favour of implementing the payroll tax, which, if introduced, would be levied at a rate of three per cent across the board and will be imposed on employers, employees and the self-employed.

Employers will pay 1.5 per cent while the other 1.5 per cent is to be paid by employees. Self-employed persons will be required to pay the full three per cent.

The Government’s view is that the payroll tax is superior to the other tax.

While they believe that both taxes are broad-based and will stabilise revenue; they are of the opinion that payroll tax is more equitable.

They also believe that with the payroll tax the revenues grow with GDP of the country; that it is easier to administer, it is flexible and that it is progressive as opposed to the property tax.

They are also of the view that the payroll tax will not compromise the TCI’s competitive position with other overseas territories or the wider Caribbean.

On Monday, Minister of Finance Washington Misick told the gathering that the Government still believes that they country was right to reject value added tax (VAT).

He said the UK insisted on a broad based alternative tax and the payroll and property tax are two that they have identified.

VIEWS At both meetings, many persons wanted to know where the money would come from to pay for the

took over, and is an unfair debt, he would not say totally that the debt is not the TCI’s debt.

Meanwhile, several other opinions were aired in strong opposition to the proposed taxes, but the Finance Minister later responded that he has not heard any practical options from anyone to the proposed payroll or property tax at any of the meetings held so far.

The crowd at Tuesday’s tax consultation hosted by the Chamber of Commerce

An irked attendee brandished a copy of the Weekly News as she grilled the Government on why they are raising taxes while the crime situation needs urgent attention

new taxes and if salaries for public servants will be increased.

Misick responded that there is no intention to raise Government salaries in 2014/2015 but that it may be possible in 2015/2016 depending on how the economy performs.

During the Tuesday meeting, one woman observed that no matter what measure the Government put in place the people will be robbed and raped.

She questioned why the Government is only interested in reducing debt when they should also be looking at the crime situation which rocketed by 24 per cent last past year.

To this, the Premier said the Government needs money to reduce crime and they are the process of raising revenue for things as education, social issues and better policing. He added that even with this, it is also important for the Government to pay its debt.

Questions were also raised as to the hospital debt, with a few persons calling for more transparency.

While responding to questions relating to the proposed increases for business licences – for which several questions were posed –the Premier advised the gathering that the Government will be coming to the people with the correct figures and for them to disregard what was published and broadcast in the media over the past weeks.

He said what was published was a first draft and that revisions are still being done.

To this delivery, a number of persons protested that they cannot trust the Government, while some others threatened to vote them out come next elections.

Royal Robinson, former PNP member, made several points regarding the debt that the country has to pay down by 2016.

He stated that the debt is not the debt of the TCI; that it was incurred during the interim administration.

The Finance Minister responded that while he acknowledges that the debt was incurred when the British

A STRATEGY FOR RECOVERY In the official document given to members at Monday’s meeting, the Government mapped out its strategy for recovery.

Its vision is making the TCI “a self-confident and prosperous nation” while the stated mission is “economic growth and empowerment”.

To achieve this mission, Government intends to accelerate the pace of development and increase investment; increase overall revenues by 2014, but reduce selective taxes; improve opportunities for careers and for small business; re-balance the tax system to reduce cost of living; reduce public debt and improve credit rating; eliminate the UK government guarantee in 2016 and reduce taxes from 2016.

As stated in the document, the TCI’s “15 year economic miracle came to a screeching halt as a consequence of the 2008 financial crisis – which led to the worst economic recession since global depression in the 1930s – rapidly falling revenues and increases in the country’s debt.”

This necessitated a $260 million loan guarantee from the UK to secure the necessary credit facilities.

In return for the guarantee, the UK insisted on a rapid reduction in debt to under $100 by 2016, the document stated.

It noted that there is increasing evidence that the TCI economy is recovering.

“TCIG has carefully prepared plans to accelerate that recovery.

However, TCIG is obliged to run budget surpluses of around $20 million per year for the next two years.”

To achieve this, the document continued, overall revenues must

be increased by $12 million. At the same time, TCIG is proposing to reduce some taxes to stimulate growth and cut the cost of living for the average consumer.

Additional revenue raised would include $2.5 million from work permits; $1.5 million from cost insurance and freight; another $1.5 million from extending accommodation tax to a wider base of tourism service providers; $1.6 million form business licences and $1 million from dormant accounts.

This represents a total of $8.1 million with a $4 million in tax relief. The net increase is $4.1 million, which leaves a shortfall of $7.9 million.

The new revenue raising measures in this year’s budget will be the last of their kind, the document stated.

It added: “As of 2016, the level of taxation will be reduced without compromising public financial stability.

“This will be possible as debt reduction requirements ease and some significant non-recurrent expenses are eliminated. The realisation of projected economic growth will allow for meaningful tax reductions.”

Non-recurrent expenses for 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 are listed as SIPT budget by $4 million per year and legal aid budget by $5 million per year.

The Government’s strategy for growth and empowerment is focused on increasing foreign direct investment; developing small business sector; creating better and increased job opportunities; improving the business environment and managing population growth to stimulate demand and meet labour requirements.

The revenue raising proposals for the next two years is set to be introduced by July 1, 2014.

The Government is also proposing the establishment of a Revenue Authority as a one-stop shop for NIB, NHIP and potential payroll tax collection reducing administrative costs for businesses.

Other consultations are planned for the new week across the family islands and on Providenciales. (DI)

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TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

March 22 - 28, 2014

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

Potential increase in business licence fees

THIS week proposed increases to business licence fees have caused a stir among the country’s business and political communities.

Premier Rufus Ewing said it is all part of a tax rationalisation strategy and insisted that no changes would be made without consultation with the public.

Meanwhile the PDM party said that any fee increases would be an attack on the business community and may delay improvements to the economy.

What are your thoughts? Are increased fees a good way to boost Government revenue? Or will it be detrimental for the TCI economy?

What are the alternatives?

Expansion not contraction

There is no question that business licence fees need restructuring, particularly when 40 per cent of licences are ‘miscellaneous’ paying a token $300 because they do not fit into an existing category eg. cruise ship terminal.

The proper categorisation will increase Government revenue.

But any proposal to significantly increase the fees on the businesses that already pay a proper and reasonable fee will lead to closures and job losses.

Some of these businesses are on the brink and any increase could be the last straw for their demotivated owners.

So increase fees that are patently too low and leave the others alone. It is expansion, not contraction, of the economy that will lead to increased Government revenue.

Find cash elsewhere

Really the Premier is an extortionist, squeezing the people for their grandchildren’s inheritance.

I have a small business and really the profit is so minimal that I had to cut the employee hours drastically but still have to pay NIB and NHIP, the minimum required, and you think that more increases should be placed on the people?

Come on this is why civil unrest happens in other countries. Back an animal in the corner and see how he gets out.

Why don’t they just collect of all these illegal buildings which are generating money for themselves on Crown land.

More rentals that I can count. That is where the revenue is. Regulate them and charge the fees. I see $2 million by December just in Five Cays alone.

Local lawyers will suffer

SIPT lawyers are being paid a $90,000 brief fee in advance on legal aid and a daily refresher of $2,600 for trial.

The Governor’s Turks and Caicos Islands Immigration (exemption) Order 2014 exempts

the SIPT lawyers from paying any work permit - so there is no payment cost to do the foreign lawyer’s business.

Local lawyers are being paid $600 per day and a brief fee of $1,200 on legal aid even for defence of very serious criminal matters, such as murder carrying a life sentence, and only after the case, after a year or more, is completed will any money be received by the local lawyer for legal aid work.

Now add to this the Government’s reported further increase against the local lawyers - for a sole practitioner to pay $10,000 for a business licence to practice law - so there is a payment cost to do the local lawyers’ business.

Is it that the majority of the SIPT lawyers are white and British - or is it that the majority of local lawyers are Turks and Caicos Islanders and black?

It is one thing to have discrimination being visited from abroad, but it is painful to suffer it home grown.

Harmful services should pay

If the information reported in the media is accurate I am disappointed by some increases and quite angry about others.

Casinos and liquor importers should be very high and they are not. Come on - these are not essential services, nor are they very useful services.

In fact they are pretty harmful services for much of our population, so why shouldn’t they pay higher on their very high profits?

Private clinics, lawyers, real estate firms (not talking the agents here - talking about the firms), developers, all the mega buck income earners, should be paying much more than they are and they should not be allowed to pass the increase on.

Instead of doing that, they could take a smaller profit. (I can hear the agonised screams already.)

If they quit moaning and looked at their bottom lines honestly, they could still live a very good life on a little less profit.

In

Blood from a stone the

leaked

document

the

Premier

conveniently omitted fee increases for secretarial services, doctors, importers of alcohol and travel agencies.

No doubt he insured that he and his family will not be feeling the pinch of the increase.

It’s clear that this Government doesn’t have a plan on moving the country forward other than drawing blood out of stone.

If these increases are allowed to go through we will all suffer from the actions of the criminals and the Government robbing us blind.

So let’s face the consequences, the money has to come from somewhere and last I remember we do not make money in the TCI. We, the average citizens now have to pay for the short sightedness of those who all jumped on the bandwagon and campaigned against VAT. The TCI people will never learn!

Don’t make us pay

Are they completely out of touch with what is going on in this country? An additional tax on businesses right now is ludicrous!

This will kill some small businesses and cause them to either go out of business or not bother to renew their business licences at all.

Cut some of the travel expenses and get some more work permits processed. Get some of the delayed hotel projects under way.

We do not need more taxes, we need more population. I have never heard of any country that taxed itself into prosperity.

The business community is already overtaxed and any increase in the costs of doing business without an expansion in the economy will be catastrophic resulting in the closure of many small businesses.

The Government must let the UK realise that these Islands do not have the luxury of an economy that is able to withstand even the slightest internal or external shock.

They need to stop applying bandages on the problem and fix some of the ills affecting the economy - the hospital and stevedoring contract.

I noticed that in the recent town hall meeting with the Minister of Finance, that he highlighted that $8 million of the annual budget is allocated to $4 million for SIPT and $4 million for legal aid!

Can you imagine, the tax payers are been asked to foot the bill for defending former public officials.

It’s a master plan

More misunderstanding and mismanagement.

It takes us back to the Washington Misick administration in that regard.

However the idea that more taxation encourages development or that potential investors ignore the level of taxes is just plain dumb.

This is part of the Washy master plan. Tax the business until he raises $20 million of surplus, which his party will waste on itself, then development will provide expansion to lower taxes.

We have had 11 years of this nonsense and it is time to quit this ridiculous idea.

The TCI has seen zero, nada, zip virtually no successful development since the PNP took over in 2003.

PNP monuments to their development mess is everywhere - Dellis Cay, Lucuyan Condos, Alexandra, the Veranda now sucked into the Beaches group, St Charles Place, Royal Reef, Ambergris Cay, Salt Cay etc.

VAT was the answer

It is interesting to hear the angry talk about revenue generating measures. The Government must have a way to raise revenue and like in all other countries the people have to make a contribution and it has to be through taxes.

We are not a welfare state and do not ascribe to communism or socialism, we are a capitalist society.

Two years ago we were given the opportunity to implement VAT. This was an equal tax that stretched across all persons, business and professions but in our haste we voted against the implementation of VAT.

Less taxes, more people

Well thought out

Nobody likes paying taxes or fees of any description, but most reasonable people appreciate that the Government can only provide the services it can pay for.

Particularly with the heavy repayment required on the British-guaranteed debt over the next two years, Government is desperate to raise additional revenue.

Anyone attending the revenue-generation meetings being held this week and next by Minister of Finance Washington Misick will see clearly how big the current revenue shortfall is, as well as the various sources being tapped to cover that deficiency.

The concept of a ‘tiered’ business licence fee for professional businesses, varying with their number of employees, is well thought out and it is long past time that those businesses in the old $300 ‘miscellaneous’ category are properly categorised and assessed.

Throughout all of this when can we expect the PDM to offer realistic suggestions as to ways out of the country’s current financial predicament, instead of just criticising every Government initiative?

Adjust salaries first

Looking at it as any other budget - when I don’t have enough money, rather than go and take from elsewhere, I tighten my belt and save.

The Government officials should reconsider their salaries first before they come to us, asking for more. This is a good way of doing business. continued 

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 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

March 22 - 28, 2014

NEWS

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

continued from 

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Already bad shape

This is horrible! The economy is in bad shape. I think that the fees for business licences are already horrendous.

Businesses are struggling and we don’t have a Ross and we sure don’t have a Harrods, Macys, or Saks.

The wrong move

The proposed increase in business licence fees is not a good idea. The proposal seems to triple fees in most cases and to collect $2,200,000.

It means that the proposal is a bad idea, will kill most businesses and prevent new businesses from starting.

Instead of increasing business licence fees the Minister of Finance, Premier and Government should remove business licence fees or reduce them to $100.

It could also mean that if they are not yet collecting $2,200,000 then the idea of business fees are a bad idea and economically inefficient to administer.

Where these proposals form part of the 2014/2015 budget then all members of the House of Assembly should not support the budget as the budget will train wreck the TCI’s economy.

The PDM’s position is correct and the fee increases are an attack on the business community.

Business licence fees should be rolled back.

Cut back taxes

We are already taxed to the hilt! For what reason? Is it because you are committed to paying off the hospital scam and rip-off? Is it because you are committed to destroying the TCI people?

First of all you should be trying to cut business licence fees. I propose cutting them all back to $100 at the lowest end and $500 at the highest end. You will get more business.

Stop using taxes as a means of controlling things. It is proposed to increase work permits to control the level of work permits.

It will backfire because ministers despite their words will increase giving out work permits to get more revenue and deprive Belongers of jobs.

Ministers need to listen to the private sector and the private sector needs to formally present new proposals.

The Blue Ribbon Commission should now be disbanded because it is coming up with bad and unworkable ideas.

The answer is reducing taxes across the board and increase investment promotion.

Don’t tax the small guy

I absolutely agree that cruise ports, airline charterers and marinas should pay more but I hate to see small time health providers like physiotherapists and the fitness practitioners and gyms take a beating.

Dentists and optometrists I expect are pretty big earners here, but maybe not.

Since we have no way of knowing what they earn, it must be difficult to assign new, fair fees.

If a proposed increase really is going to put someone out of business then perhaps they should not be in that business in the first place?

Or perhaps there could be an appeal process - if you can prove the new fee is going to kill your business and it was a viable business before the new fee then you could apply for a lesser fee.

The way I look at it is, thanks to our former Premier and his crew we are in big time debt.

Do we pay it off with personal income taxes and property taxes or with licencing fees and customs fees? I am for the latter, not the former.

Taxation dementia

What developers would risk millions under financial minister Floyd Hall who wanted property and more income tax?

Washy is demonstrating the early stages of taxation dementia or demonstrating the common sense of a love sick child.

Consider how this newest round of tax increases slipped out. The PNP media published the formal Government document listing the new higher rates and hours later our Caricom loving Premier denies the decision was already made.

The fact is the increases will be harder on us Belongers and discourage growth for years to come.

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Armed robbers' violent attack on villa victims EXACTLY a week after armed robbers raided two homes in Providenciales, two more frightening attacks have taken place.

In the early hours of Wednesday morning (March 19) masked raiders broke into two separate houses, viciously assaulting the male occupiers and stealing property worth thousands of dollars.

The first incident took place at a villa in Long Bay where a couple had been asleep in bed.

About 2.59am the male resident, aged 41, was woken by a strange noise and got out of his bed to investigate.

He was immediately confronted by two masked male intruders dressed in black and brandishing firearms.

One of the masked men struck the terrified man over his head with his gun and demanded that he give him cash.

They also took with a white Notebook computer and a white Iphone 4s.

According to a police press release, following the theft both suspects fled the scene in the occupier’s rented silver Nissan Sunny car.

Police were called to the villa where they examined the scene and conducted a search of the area.

The injured man was taken to Cheshire Hall Medical Centre in a stable condition and later released.

The second incident took place less than two hours later at another couple’s rented villa on Coconut Road in Turtle Cove.

At about 4.36am, the 50-year old male resident awoke to discover that two masked men holding guns had gained entry to the property.

One of the men struck the victim in the head with a screwdriver and demanded cash.

The raiders took the victim’s bank card and demanded the pin number, which he gave to them.

One of the suspects stayed with the couple and the other went to the cash machine but he was unsuccessful in obtaining any money and returned to the villa, a police statement said.

Both suspects then fled the scene on foot with a Canon 3i Rebel camera, an Apple Macbook Pro, Cannon 7000 camera, a 40 inch Sharp television, a Rolex watch, an RBC bank card, cash in United States and Canadian currencies, a blue and white purse, one black bag, one small pocket Canon camera, two silver rings and a silver bracelet.

Police were called to the scene but

Under the tree

were unable to locate the raiders.

The male victim was taken to Cheshire Hall Medical Centre in a stable condition and later released.

The victims described the first man as being skinny in stature and about six feet tall and the other as short with a stocky build and about five feet ten inches tall.

At time of press no one had been arrested in connection with the offence.

Last Wednesday, March 12, in a startlingly similar fashion, armed men wearing masks raided two Providenciales homes leaving several residents traumatised.

Within the space of 40 minutes a house in Long Bay Hills and another in Leeward were stormed by robbers.

In the first incident a male resident was struck about the head with a rock. In both cases the burglars made off with cash.

Detectives are conducting inquiries into the incidents and are appealing for the public’s help to identify the offenders involved.

Anyone with information can call Crimestoppers on 1-800-8477 or use the Crimestoppers online reporting page www.crimestoppers.tc.

Information provided will be treated in the strictest of confidence.

(RB)

By Benneth Williams

8

NEWS

March 22 - 28, 2014

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

Police urge the protesters to move from the site (Photo by JFC Studios)

Grand Turk residents protest about beach access (Photo by JFC Studios)

Residents demand access to South Beach

A GRAND Turk tour company tried to gain easy access to popular South Beach last week by forcing open a gate on land owned by Carnival Corporation.

The workers at ‘Historical Island Tram Tours’ insisted that they should be allowed to get to the tourist hotspot near to Grand Turk Cruise Centre in order to advertise their services.

However officials at Carnival Corporation have said that while the beach is public, commercial activity is not permitted in the area.

Seven vocal protesters attempted

to open the chained and padlocked access to the north of the terminal last Wednesday, March 12.

But police quickly arrived to halt the activity and they were led away from the scene, threatened with arrest if they did not comply peacefully.

On Thursday (March 20) Tina Fenimore, mother of company owner Douglas Fenimore, told the Weekly News that there is no public access to the beach for approximately a mile along the south west coast.

She said that this makes it extremely difficult for local tour

companies to gather new customers.

Hundreds of cruise ship passengers relax on the white sand bay during each stop off at TCI’s capital, and it is a prime spot for generating business, Fenimore revealed.

“I’m a fighter and I know nobody’s going to stop me or my sons from making money,” she stressed, “literally nobody.”

Fenimore claimed that various owners of land along the beach had said they would charge the company for accessing the beach, up to $1,000 a month.

“No one is going to extort any money from me,” the former president of the Providenciales Chamber of Commerce said, “I will not be held hostage by one soul on this island.”

Fenimore called on the TCI Government and the Tourist Board to take action against those blocking access to the beach in Grand Turk.

Roger Frizzell, chief communications officer at Carnival Corporation, told the Weekly News on Thursday that the beach area at the cruise centre has been open to the general public since the facility first

opened in 2006.

“Local residents and guests are welcome to enjoy the beach facilitates alongside our cruise guests,” he said.

“However, any solicitation or commercial activity is not permitted in this area, something that has become a growing issue.

“This is a beautiful location, a place that everyone can enjoy.

Anyone who refrains from soliciting and selling on the beach is welcome.”

Frizzell went on to say that the public can access the beach from the street. (RB)

Cabinet approves revised business licence categories, other projects THE REVISIONS to the business licence fees and categories have been approved by Cabinet and are expected to come into effect on April 1.

A post Cabinet statement stated that people have until June 30, 2014 to pay the difference in rates between old and new fees.

Over the past week, the issue sparked widespread concerns across the TCI after the list of fee increases, leaked to the press, showed whopping increases in several categories with a projected 100 per cent increase in Government revenue.

However, Government has since discredited the report, stating that the increases published were from the first draft of the document and are not a reflection of the final document.

The public is yet to be made aware of just what the increases are, although the Government has promised to make it known soon.

Meanwhile, Cabinet gave its approval for

several other initiatives such as a delay in the implementation date for the move from Free On Board (FOB) to Cost, Insurance and Freight (CIF) customs duty until 1 July 2014, and for the corresponding legislative amendments to come into force on the same date.

Approval was also given for reductions in the rate of customs duty on a range of essential commodities aligned to ongoing Consumer Price Index 'Basket of Goods' work with effect from July 1.

Cabinet also considered the Hotel and Restaurant (Taxation) Amendment Bill 2014 and agreed to delay changes to the imposition of the tax on restaurants and tourism related services provided by independent service providers until July 1.

The body approved a number of appointments to the Immigration Board for a period of one year commencing April 1.

The new appointees are Sheba Wilson (chair), Clayton E Been, Jamal Missick,

Justin Missick and Devon Williams.

Cabinet also approved several other appointments to the Tourist Board for a period of one year, from April 1.

These persons are Kingsley Been (chair), Trevor Musgrove (deputy chair), Adrian Williams, Stacy Cox, Delthia Russell, Savitri Daniel, and Takara Bain.

Approval was also given for the appointment of Madeline Potter and the re-appointment of Floyd Seymour to the National Insurance Board for a period of three years.

Meanwhile, the TCIG has been granted approval to enter into a long-term lease agreement with Franklyn Missick for a twostorey building on Church Folly, Grand Turk to accommodate the integrity commission and with Antonio Clark for a building on Waterloo Road, Grand Turk to accommodate the Audit Department and the complaints commissioner.

During the Wednesday meeting,

recommendations were also made for the award of several contracts.

These include the construction of coastal radar sea wall on Providenciales; purchase of a vehicle and furniture for the Office of the Premier; purchase of furniture for the Office of the Deputy Governor; artificial habitat for Caribbean Spiny Lobster; tender for primary restoration the M Y White Cloud injury site at Northwest Point National Park and the purchase of vehicles for vector control.

In addition, Cabinet commissioned a report on procedures for the award of contracts to be conducted by the internal auditor by the end of May. Governor Peter Beckingham was advised that the Rehabilitation of Offenders Bill 2014 should be introduced to the House of Assembly.

The bill provides for the rehabilitation of offenders who have not been reconvicted of any offence for a period of years. (DI)

March 22 - 28, 2014

NEWS

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

9

Governor insists crime is not at crisis levels “I DON’T think we should suddenly say we are in a crisis because I don’t think we are. I really don’t.”

During an exclusive interview with the Weekly News this week, Governor Peter Beckingham insisted that urgent UK assistance is not needed to combat crime in the TCI. Despite a worrying lack of resources and an alarming hike in violent activity he stated he has full confidence in the Commissioner of Police and the local force to carry out their work effectively.

During a recent press conference police revealed that crime had increased by a massive 24 per cent

last year compared to 2012, with gun crime leaping by a terrifying 64 per cent.

Meanwhile in the last few months there has been a further surge in firearm offences including two brutal murders, a wild shootout in a bar, and a spate of violent armed robberies and burglaries.

“At the moment, sure we’re not in the best place but equally I don’t think we’re in a crisis,” Beckingham said when asked his opinion on the crime wave.

“If we judged that things were in a really very bad state then obviously we’d have to look at extra measures.”

Luvest Malcolm must be approached with extreme caution

Teen wanted – considered armed and dangerous A 19-year-old from Kew Town is wanted by police in connection with a number of aggravated burglaries.

Luvest Malcolm has dark skin, black hair and dark brown eyes; he is 6ft tall and slim built.

Malcolm, originally from Haiti, is considered armed and dangerous.

This week police released a wanted poster for the teen, urging the public to approach him with extreme caution.

He escaped from police custody a month ago and is suspected to have since been involved in a series of home raids.

Police are appealing for the public’s help locate the young man.

Anyone with information can call Crimestoppers on 1-8008477 or use the Crimestoppers online reporting page www. crimestoppers.tc.

Information provided will be treated in the strictest of confidence.

But added: “To be honest with you I don’t think at the minute we’re in a situation where we suddenly need to call in extra bodies.

“I don’t think that’s the issue, I think it’s an issue of catching the people who have been responsible for some of these crimes.”

When asked what would constitute a crisis situation he said: “If there was a regular occurrence of tourists being attacked on beaches or in their properties.

“If there were a really sharp increase in attacks using weapons, then I think we would have to start to get very concerned about it.

“And if people living in Provo or Grand Turk weren’t feeling secure any more. But I haven’t got any sense at all from talking to people in Provo or in Grand Turk that we’re near that position.”

ROLE OF THE GOVERNOR The TCI Constitution states that the Governor, as in all UK overseas territories, has responsibility for internal security.

That responsibility has been devolved to Commissioner of Police Colin Farquhar and to the police force.

The Governor meets with the Commissioner every week, normally on a Tuesday, for a briefing.

“If there are any major incidents of the sort that there have been in last few weeks involving firearms then he will let me know instantly.”

Beckingham has also met with the police forces in Grand Turk, Providenciales and in the other islands.

“On a day to day basis the Police Commissioner keeps me constantly in the loop as to what is happening.

“I’m not a policeman by background therefore you have to put your confidence and trust in the people who have been appointed to do it.

“And can I say I have complete confidence in the Commissioner and the work that he and his team are doing.”

He stressed that communication between himself and Farquhar is close, detailed and “really very, very good”.

“I think he’s very professional, I think he’s very measured and he knows what he’s doing.

“He’s a man with a huge amount of experience and I have got complete confidence in him.”

Governor Peter Beckingham denies that the TCI has reached a crime crisis

External assistance comes in the form of a police coordinator for the overseas territories in the Caribbean based in Miami, formerly of the Metropolitan police in the UK. “He has a responsibility for helping and supporting me and the other governors in the other territories,” Beckingham said.

“I talk regularly with him, he comes over here and supports the Police Commissioner with interviews, for those being looked at for promotion, that sort of thing.

“So I actually think it’s a pretty sensible and well-structured sort of network, which we’ve set up over time.”

IMPACT ON TOURISM The Governor told the Weekly News that he has been talking to both the Police Commissioner and Premier Rufus Ewing about the increase in crime.

“One of the concerns, obviously, apart from the wellbeing of the community in the TCI is the impact on tourism,” he said.

“That’s something that we’ve got to consider as these days an incident in Leeward at four in the morning can be known about in New York two hours later.

“So the potential for the image of the TCI getting damaged by this sort of thing is something we’ve really got to consider very carefully.”

And that includes not frightening the public with visible extreme security measures, he said.

“If we suddenly said we need half a dozen people from the Met Police to come over and to be stalking the place with bullet proof vests and machine guns, I think that might send an even worse perception to New York and other places.

“So you’ve got to think very carefully and gauge how you respond to these things.”

Beckingham stressed that it is of fundamental importance to the TCI to continue to have a very high reputation.

“I’ve been to other Caribbean

islands for holidays where you can’t leave the resort without worrying about your safety.

“Thankfully we’re not in that position, and the key thing I think for TCI in the long term and medium term is to retain that position.

“What we’ve got to do is make sure the American tourists continue to feel safe, we’ve got to keep that reputation.”

LACK OF RESOURCES Providenciales police recently revealed that they only have one operational patrol car - the rest are out of action.

“It is a concern and it’s something that I’ve talked to the Police Commissioner about and something I’ve talked to the Department of Finance about,” Beckingham said.

“We need to make sure that the policemen get the equipment that they need and the resources that they need.”

He said it was an issue that he would keep a close eye on, but said an urgent need for more money was not something that had been conveyed to him.

“I haven’t been in a position yet where the Commissioner has said to me we can’t operate because we haven’t got the money we need.

We haven’t thankfully reached that position.”

He added: “In a dire situation, but we’re nowhere near that, we would need to talk to London about it as well.”

The Governor said he did not want to point the finger at anyone with regard to lacking resources but added that the budget has been very tight.

“Police forces all over the place, amongst other government departments have been squeezed really hard.

“I think we can be reasonably confident that revenue is going up so I think some of that extra money can be used for these sorts of requirements which are obviously crucial.” (RB)

10

March 22 - 28, 2014

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

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

Renewable by nature Dear Editor, Mr Eddinton Powell’s two page report on renewables last week added some important facts to the debate; but misrepresents the cost of renewable solar power and offers no real solutions.

Since meeting with FortisTCI and the interim TCIG in 2011 I have despaired of seeing progress but at least the new Government is stimulating a debate.

Mr Powell boasts of our “affordable electricity” while his small business and residential customers are incensed.

I presume that the hotels, large stores and big business power bills are discounted otherwise they would have long realised the attractions of solar.

The TCI together with the Dominican Republic has among the highest insolation levels in the world estimated by Professor Mackay in UK, at >2000 kWh per annum for every 1kW array installed.

My own, behind the meter, solar array meter in Leeward reports that, over four years, we

have generated 26.5 MW and each of the 3.2kW installed on the roof have generated on average 2,070 kWh. Given a 20 year life the rather expensive rooftop array will provide non-essential power at an all-in 18 cents a kilowatt.

Commercial solar in Europe is now cost competitive on Mr Powell’s all-in life-cycle cost basis with hydrocarbons.

Pension funds are the major sources of unsubsidised, megawattsized, solar arrays.

A 5MW installation in south west England (insolation 1100), currently under construction, is economic for its pension fund owner at £0.07p per kWh. A major installation in the TCI, given our >2,000 insolation levels, could have a lifecycle cost below $0.10 per kWh – potentially fixed for 25 years if insured.

The FortisTCI trial seems pointless and a potential time waster. We already have the critical insolation data and construction economics are routine.

With TCIG support it should

be feasible to agree a Provo generation strategy based on existing power plants; flexible gas turbine replacements for the uneconomic plants and a plan to install some serious solar facilities around the network.

Fortis wants solar Downtown but an exciting alternative is an ECOarray say at Bambarra Village in Middle Caicos.

If permitted to supply locally at long run marginal cost it would boost visitors, reduce bills and possibly stimulate the installation of storage capacity.

Mr Powell asks the question “why not renewable if cheaper and practical”.

Environmental issues aside only FortisTCI can answer his question but solar in the TCI is cheaper and the various technologies to balance the grid and manage complex flows of power well within FortisTCI’s capability.

Colin Williams, Leeward, Providenciales

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

Send letters to tcweeklynews@gmail.com

COMMENTARY

Pride goes before a fall ABOUT 15 years ago we wrote and delivered a paper at the Fort Lauderdale Marine Historical Society revealing the real story of the most notorious event in the history of Britain - the mutiny on the ship HMS Bounty.

This happened in 1789 and resulted in what today is the smallest British overseas territory, the Pitcairn Islands, home of the mutineers and their descendants.

The mission of the Bounty was simple - sail to Tahiti and bring breadfruit plants to the West Indies for the sugar plantations.

The story is so famous it resulted in the production of five motion pictures.

The central figure was the famous Captain Bligh. Because

of the way Bligh was portrayed by actor Charles Laughton (1935) and Trevor Howard in the 1962 remake of the movie ‘Mutiny on the Bounty,’ the name Bligh now summons visions of a mean and nasty selfcentred task master.

Bligh was more accurately portrayed by Anthony Hopkins in the last film ‘The Bounty’ (1984).

The first 1916 silent movie has been lost to history, the second an Australian 1933 film, ‘In the Wake of the Bounty’ was a disappointment featuring a young but not yet dashing actor, Errol Flynn.

Bligh a very proud man decided he would risk taking the Bounty around dangerous Cape Horn in mid-winter and then do a circumnavigation returning to the Atlantic ocean via Cape Hope.

SPACE IS LIMITED!

If he succeeded Bligh would have attained the fame of British explorer Captain Cook but Bligh failed.

Some historians believe an ornery Bligh, who years earlier was Cooks navigator, was responsible for Cook being murdered by the natives of Hawaii.

Bligh was slow fitting out the Bounty, leaving Britain two days before Christmas. He misappropriated some of the crew’s food sending it to his family.

On the return trip a mutiny led

by Fletcher Christian resulted in Bligh and crew being set adrift in the middle of the Pacific ocean.

Bligh was summoned to court after returning to England. He had redeemed himself to the admiralty by sailing the Bounty’s 23 foot long

By David Tapfer

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

open launch 3,600 miles without charts, landing in Timor with 18 crew members who refused to join the mutiny.

The hardships of that voyage are difficult to imagine. Bligh survived, returned to Tahiti twice and did deliver breadfruit plants to St Vincent.

Most the crew on the launch were dead in a couple of years due to

exposure and starvation.

What has all this to do with the TCI? The lesson is clear. Pride goes before the fall.

Ships and countries need a captain concerned first with the people or crew. Otherwise goals will not be achieved and crew or residents will pay dearly for the lack of honesty, a proper plan and leadership skills.

Please keep your letters to a maximum of 450 words or we may not be able publish it.

March 22 - 28, 2014

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

NEWS 11

Hefty provisional warrant passed – Draft budget and FSPS approved by UK ministers THE HOUSE of Assembly on Thursday (March 20) passed a provisional general warrant for $66,648,694 for recurrent expenditure of the Turks and Caicos Islands for part of the financial year for 2014/2015.

Minister of Finance, Washington Misick in presenting the resolution to the house noted that the money will be withdrawn from the consolidated fund and will allow the Government to spend up until the end of July.

The allocations are: Governor's Office - $1,113,073, TCI Police Force - $6,939,187, Attorney

General’s Chambers - $3,724,275, the judiciary - 1,903,606, Office of the Premier and Ministry of Tourism - $1,130,562, statutory charges $8,353,700, Ministry of Border Control and Labour - $1,948,640, Ministry of Environment and Home Affairs - $2,556,879, Ministry of Government Support Services -$4,732,636, Ministry of Finance and Trade and Tourism - $3,656,761, Ministry of Health and Human Services -$18,756,217, Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture - $7,116,361, Office of the Deputy Governor -$1,295,265 and Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions -

Attendees discuss how prevention, care and treatment can be integrated into the primary healthcare system

$421,533.

Leader of the Opposition, Sharlene Cartwright Robinson while supporting the motion, asked Misick when the budget for the new fiscal year 2014/2015 would be presented to the country.

“It will be irresponsible to vote against this motion that will allow the Government to continue to meet its obligations, but this does not absolve the minister from informing this house and the people of these Islands on the present process of preparing and presenting the budget.”

She added that that there appears

to be a grave air of uncertainty. She said the people of the country need to know when the budget will be passed and what stage it is in.

“I am aware that the budget process starts in September/October each year and the minister cannot just say that there are ‘challenges’.

“We need to know what are these challenges but more importantly when might we expect the budget to be brought to the house.”

The minister responded that the draft budget and the FSPS have been approved by the UK ministers and will be submitted to the Clerk of the Assembly in the new week to be sent

on for scrutiny by the Appropriations Committee.

He said it is the Government’s expectation to have the budget presented very early in May to Assembly.

He said the challenges facing the Government include the sustainability of Government revenue and meeting the social obligations to the people of the TCI, while paying down the debt.

Another challenge, Misick noted, is that of making sure the way is paved for future growth and development in order to retain more of the revenue that Government generates in order to reinvest in the community and in the social and economic infrastructure of the country. (DI)

Medical personnel from the public and private sector applaud the completion of the new publications

National HIV Prevention Unit launches new treatment guidelines NEW guidelines placing emphasis on prevention, treatment, education, care and support in response to HIV, Aids and STIs have been introduced by the National HIV Prevention Unit.

The publications, which were made possible through collaboration with Pan America Health Organisation (PAHO), were launched on Wednesday (March 19) at the Carambola Ballroom, Airport Inn in Providenciales.

National Aids Programme coordinator Aldora Robinson said that the initiative was a remarkable stride in TCI’s healthcare system.

“These documents reflect the commitment of the Turks and Caicos Government to be responsive and supportive to the needs of the community in the delivery of resources,” Robinson said.

“The publications are a milestone

and one of the first steps in transforming the way we manage STIs in the Turks and Caicos Islands.”

Robinson said that although “we have one of the best programmes as far as treatment and care is concerned in the region,” a continued united approach, education and adaptation of best practices is necessary to protect the population.

The guidelines included new documents on HIV Testing and Counselling, Clinical Guidelines for Management of HIV in Adults, Adolescents and Children, Guidelines for the Elimination of Vertical Transmission and Congenital Syphilis and National STI Management Guidelines.

They were in accordance with World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines and received technical and financial support from PAHO. Minister of Health and Human

Services Porsha Stubbs-Smith commended her team especially Robinson for being so persistent in equipping health workers with the knowledge they need to be efficient in their roles.

“I am so proud as the minister as these guidelines will help us implement programmes and services that strengthen access to care, quality of care and equity across the disease factors while combatting discrimination and stigma in HIV,” the minister said.

She said that establishing the national standardised guidelines will also help to develop an HIV service that is safe, confidential, accessible and affordable to all residents.

Representing PAHO and WHO, Dr Gerry Eijkemans, reiterated that they “now have the power and wisdom to make a difference in Turks and Caicos for people who are

living with HIV and people at risk.”

She said that HIV is now a chronic disease and there is no need for new infections.

The idea is to come to zero new infections and zero deaths from the disease and that will come from prevention and treatment.

Compared to 20 years ago there are great drugs that can be taken without major side effects, she said.

Now only one pill a day is needed to stay healthy and in many cases not even transmit HIV; as opposed to some years ago when people had to take pills every three hours.

Eijkemans also agreed that stigma is still a big enemy and training is being done to help heathcare workers with being non-discriminatory.

Director of Health Services Dr Nadia Astwood reiterated that HIV is no longer the death sentence it once was, and urged those suffering to get

treatment and care so they can be productive members of society.

She said: “This is a first great step for us as a country taking ownership over the HIV epidemic.

“It is one in many steps that are being taking by the ministry in support of those persons living with HIV and Aids as well as several other initiatives being taken to mainstream the management of HIV and Aids and to remove stigma and discrimination…”

Currently there are approximately 170 HIV positive clients of whom 130 to 140 are seen on a regular basis, reported health planner Dr Jamillah Berry.

Services are provided directly through the National HIV Prevention Unit but efforts are being made to integrate HIV treatment and care into the regular health system and other areas of the medical industry. (KH)

12 NEWS

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

March 22 - 28, 2014

Regent Palms is Conde Nast Johansen's Best Hotel Spa of 2014

Luxury resort spa honoured The only event that brings hundreds of residents to North Caicos every year

North Caicos residents determined to preserve tradition RESIDENTS of North Caicos are looking for innovative ways to preserve the rake and scrape culture and increase visitation to the island.

For the last two years this annual event has been attracting hundreds of visitors to the island of North Caicos.

This year the Department of Culture is collaborating with the Rake and Scrape Festival committee to host the third annual event in North Caicos on March 28 to 29, on Horse Stable Beach.

Director of Culture, David Bowen, said that this year the Government’s Department of Culture is aiming to bring a bit more tradition to the event.

“In the past it had a little issue of where it became just a party, but we are going to definitely celebrate the tradition this year.”

Bowen said that people from North Caicos were concerned that the years that the festival, formerly known as ‘Festerama’ was held, it was nothing but a big party.

This year they did not want to go into a typical Festerama event so they came up with the Rake and Scrape Festival.

“Along with the members of the committee, we wanted to bring it up to par with the Conch Festival and the Regatta so that every year we can look forward to an event in North

Caicos,” Bowen said.

The Director of Culture said that the event will see a Little Miss Rake and Scrape pageant and a band performance on the Friday, followed by the big event.

That Saturday there will be a number of events for the adults and children to enjoy along with displays of traditional dishes.

The first event is expected to be held at 7.30pm on Friday night and the Saturday event from 11.30am.

The main objective of the event, according to Bowen, is to inspire the young people of North Caicos to get involved in their rake and scrape music. (DH)

Insurance company supports green initiative A TCI insurance company plans to darken its offices next week to acknowledge eco initiative Earth Hour.

Colonial Insurance Brokers, part of Colonial Group International, will turn off all lights for an hour in the run-up to international event on Saturday (March 29).

The company has pledged its support for Earth Hour which is aimed at raising awareness about the environment.

CEO of Colonial Group International, Alan Peacock, said that he is well aware of how changes in the environment can affect the climate and how those changes can cause catastrophic events.

“Earth Hour is an international event and it is more than just turning lights off for an hour,” he said.

“It is about creating a legacy that creates a sustainable future for our children and their children.”

Peacock said that he was delighted to be able to announce that the company is supporting Earth Hour and sincerely hopes others, whether it be an individual, an organisation or a company, follow suit.

Earth Hour, www.earthhour.org, started six years ago and has become the world’s largest mass participation event in history involving 7,000 cities in seven continents and millions of people.

Its mission is threefold - to bring people together through a symbolic hour long event, to galvanize people into taking action beyond Earth Hour and to create a global community with a shared aim of creating a sustainable future for the planet.

Colonial Insurance Brokers general manager, Jason Beach, said the firm would turn off its lights on March 27 between 10am and 11am.

Earth Hour itself is from 8.30pm to 9.30pm on March 29.

Beach said that he is delighted to support this event and to help raise awareness of Earth Hour which may help to change attitudes towards energy consumption.

“Less reliance on fossil fuels is no doubt the way forward and we must think of more sustainable ways of creating sources of energy.

“I know this is something starting to be addressed, but small islands such as the Turks and Caicos could easily be held to ransom if we continue to rely on traditional power supplies.

“I’m pleased to be able to do our part in helping to raise the profile.”

THE SPA at Regent Palms Turks and Caicos added yet another accolade to the list of acclaim received over the past two years, as Conde Nast Johansen recognised it as the Best Hotel Spa of 2014.

Known as the leading reference guide for independent travellers, the Conde Nast Johansen Awards serve to acknowledge and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the global travel and tourism industry.

Awards of Excellence are a trusted mark of quality recognised by consumers and travel professionals alike.

General manager for the Regent Palms, Karen Whitt, said that The Spa at The Palms is a world of its own.

“The tranquil spa is a zen-filled paradise, transporting guests into an idyllic oasis only steps from the main resort.

“At 26,000 square feet, it is one of the largest in the Caribbean,

giving guests wellness options from a to z, including a meditating reflecting pool, comprehensive signature treatment menu, healthy food options, and an array of fitness opportunities.”

Whitt said that their experienced therapists have been expertly sourced from around the globe, each bringing indigenous treatments and personalisation with them.

This year the spa is unveiling a new treatment room, introducing new treatments and going outside the box by serving as a venue for extravagant weddings.

This is the latest award received

by Regent Palms and The Spa in the past year, which was also awarded Conde Nast Traveller’s Top Spa in the Atlantic and Caribbean, The World Travel Awards’ ‘World’s Leading Spa Resort,’ Turks and Caicos Star Awards’ Hotel and Hotelier of the Year and Leaders magazine’s World’s Best Suite.

Government hosts free agriculture lectures AGRICULTURE experts will be talking about the future of the industry in the TCI next week during a series of free lectures.

The Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Environment and Home Affairs is hosting the event on Monday (March 24), under the theme ‘Agriculture, a potential driving force of food security’.

The programme includes lectures by two leading agriculturalists from the Caribbean, Dr Brendan Lee, associate professor of veterinary public health and epidemiology at St Matthews University, Cayman Islands, and Dr Cedric Lazarus, livestock development officer at the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations.

These lectures follow the successful hosting of the 2012 Agriculture Symposium and are geared at sharing important

technical information with interested local parties.

The lectures seek to encourage dialogue among TC Islanders in furtherance of the development of a national agricultural policy and towards the growth of the local agricultural sector.

Currently the TCI imports more than 98 per cent of its fruits, vegetable and meat products consumed on the Islands.

Agriculture is seen as potentially one of the fastest growth areas of the economy providing much needed jobs while reducing the need for imported foods.

The event is being held at the Regent Village on Grace Bay and starts at 6pm.

Free tickets are available by contacting the Agricultural Department or attendees can pick them up at the department’s Providenciales office in Butterfield Square.

March 22 - 28, 2014

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

13

Trust officer obtains industry qualification A BANK and trust officer within the Financial Services Commission (FSC) received an industry recognised qualification recently.

Yesicha Robinson from Providenciales is the latest member of staff to obtained the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) certificate in international trust management.

The programme provides a recognised professional qualification for those working within the trusts and estates field.

She is now pursuing a STEP diploma which she hopes to complete in 2015.

Head of the bank and trust department, Marlon Joseph, offered congratulations and best wishes to

Robinson this week.

He said that witnessing staff embracing professional growth in order to reach their full potential was one of the most rewarding aspects of the work of the Commission.

After receiving her accolade from FSC management Robinson said she was delighted to have acquired the qualification.

‘The STEP certificate sets a high standard of competence and integrity and I’m proud to have reached this level of professionalism within the industry,” she said.

“I have been at the commission for four years and am grateful to them for supporting and encouraging me to develop my skills further.”

Established in 2010, the Tuition Assistance Programme is geared towards helping Belonger employees wishing to pursue higher education courses.

Robinson joined the FSC in June of 2010 in the capacity of bank and trust officer.

Prior to joining the commission she worked in the capacity of accounts supervisor at TCI Bank Limited.

In 2006 she completed a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the City University of New York/York College.

She further completed a master’s degree in international management from the University Of Phoenix in 2009.

Yesicha Robinson gains STEP Certificate in International Trust Management

The Towers of Babel “An ancient city in the land of Shinar in which the building of a tower intended to reach heaven was begun and the confusion of the language of the people took place.” Gen 11:4–9.

The Towers of Babel is a collective of voices consisting of various artists prepared to display their exceptional art forms and foster the inner artist in other individuals; providing a venue for the outpouring of their undeniably unique gifts.

This group brings to the stage and page productions rarely displayed on stages in the Turks and Caicos Islands melding with some of the most unique artists the country has to offer.

For more information email towersofbabel101@gmail.com or visit www.towersofbabel.weebly.com

Mornings

By Chelsea Blues

I always become aware Of the sounds and textures Before I am able to taste, smell and see When I rise from slumber The sounds of footsteps or cars Of birds greeting the morning god Of water running in the bath Of the clock ticking in my head The feel of the pillow beneath my head The cold of the phone beside me The softness of my skin Against The softness of the sheets Entangled around me.

Then comes the smell of food, Of the perfume that lingers in my room

Thimble jellyfish swim in swarms that look like brownish clouds

Public warned of thimble jellyfish outbreak SWARMS of thimble jellyfish have been spotted in the Grace Bay and North West Point areas of Providenciales.

The Department of Environment and Maritime Affairs (DEMA) issued a statement this week warning swimmers to stay away from the tiny stingers.

Thimble jellyfish (Linuche spp) vary in size from approximately 0.5 inches, up to approximately 1.5 inches in diameter.

The stings do not usually cause

immediate pain but contact with the sea creatures can cause a reaction known as ‘sea bather’s eruption.’

This can result in painful itchy welts, usually at waistbands and bikini lines where the clothing comes into close contact with skin.

The jellyfish swim in swarms that look like brownish clouds of small thimble-like organisms.

Swimmers, snorkelers and scuba divers are therefore advised to avoid jellyfish wherever they see them.

Jellyfish stings can be treated

by rinsing with fresh water, or by applying a warm vinegar compress to the affected areas.

Jellyfish problems in near shore areas should not be considered a major cause for concern, as they usually resolve themselves within a few weeks.

DEMA is asking beach goers and other users of the sea to report all jellyfish sightings.

For further information and to report sightings call DEMA on 9415122 or email environment@gov.tc.

Smell of shower gels and shaving creams Smell of bacon… Wait…

No, that one is just my dream.

The taste of slight morning breath Come from a mouth out of use During sleep The sight then comes as I agree with my brain to fully awaken Light breaks into the dark of my room I am half staring at pillow and wall.

I look over shoulder and see my laptop I am alone.

It’s time to get up and dress.

The morning has already begun, I am behind and I must catch up Because mornings don’t last very long.

Lifestyle...

14

March 22 - 28, 2014

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

GARDENING 

How does your garden grow

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 denis@naturesplendor.net

Learning about landscape lighting LANDSCAPE lighting used to be simple. A few recessed can fixtures lining the front path, a couple of down lights tucked in the trees and you were done.

Not anymore. When it comes to the great outdoors homeowners have seen the light.

Today the biggest excitement in outdoor lighting is the whole artistic aspect - think of it as painting a picture of the landscape at night, using lights to achieve the look you want.

Night-lighting your landscape offers a creative way to showcase your

home and property after dark.

Properly placed, lights can dramatize trees, highlight favourite shrubs and accent statuary, fountains and flowerbeds. Like any creative work, the options abound.

The challenge with landscape lighting is that most people don’t immediately see all the possibilities.

Outdoor lighting can be both functional and aesthetic; it’s an art to understand how much light to place on a house or determine where the focal points are.

To light correctly, key in on architectural features. Consider up-

Weekly Recipe Chef Wolfgang von Wieser is head chef at Grace Bay Club’s newest restaurant JAR. All food and beverages at this pop up eatery are presented in jars of various shapes and sizes. It is open from 11am to 5pm. For more details or to make a booking call 946-5050 ext 1007 or email restaurants@gracebayclub.com.

Malaysian fried rice

lighting an arbour, archway or facade for a dramatic effect.

Wash the side of the house with a splash of light. Graze a textured fence or wall with a focused beam.

Illuminate the water in a pool or pond with submersible lights.

Silhouette a tree or bush by placing lights below and behind the object.

While some lights take a fashionable approach, others focus on function.

Low voltage lights installed under handrails, stairs and bench seating on decks help lighten things up for outdoor entertaining.

Stronger beams designed to shine over an outdoor activity area like a basketball court add extra hours of post-dusk fun.

If you cook out at night, position a spotlight in the eaves of the house to

send a beam directly over the barbecue.

A well-lit home is also safer and more secure. Illuminated steps, paths and driveways prevent after-dark accidents.

Motion detectors light up obscure spots when someone passes by.

Photocells automatically turn on fixtures at dusk and off at dawn, providing protection even when you’re away from home.

If your home is not properly lighted, there is a greater chance of someone breaking in.

The key to attractive outdoor lighting follows a less is more philosophy. Soft, natural light should mimic moonlight on the property.

It’s important not to over-light; what you should see is the landscape not the lights so that the outdoor lighting tells

a visual story at night.

When installing outdoor lights conceal the light source behind shrubs, tree branches or other foliage, unless the fixture is a decorative element.

You should see the light effect not the source, the bulb and fixture should disappear when the lights are turned on.

All that should be visible is the glow of light on the flowers, the wall or the path.

While most homeowners opt for pure white light, others like the hint of hue. Warm tones like yellow or red introduced properly can make the landscape come alive at night.

Green lights can make foliage look even greener. But be careful with coloured lights, unless they are done carefully, they can look garish.

FASHION AND BEAUTY  I am a Turks and Caicos native with a natural talent for writing and a love for all things beauty and style. You can find out more from at itseasher.com or if you have any questions, suggestions or would like to get in touch, email me at easherparker@gmail.com or follow me on Twitter or Instagram @itseasher to get fab instant updates wherever I go!

By Easher Parker

Finding the right facial moisturiser

INGREDIENTS • 120g steamed sushi rice • salt to taste • 2g black pepper • 60g dungeness crab meat • 5g ginger julienne • 5g chopped garlic • 20g chopped cabbage kimchi • 10g Malaysian chilli paste • 20g chopped scallion (white part) • 20g chopped scallion (green part) • one de-shelled soft boiled egg • 20g panko bread crumbs • egg wash • 20g flour • 150ml oil • 15ml soy sauce METHOD • Sauté some scallion (white part), garlic and ginger at a medium

heat for five minutes.

• Add the Malaysian chilli paste and sauté for another two minutes.

• Add the rice to the mixture and sauté for an additional three minutes, raise the heat.

• Add the soy sauce to the pan followed by the crab meat. After this add the chopped cabbage kimchi and adjust the taste with salt and pepper.

• Whilst this is being done, coat the de-shelled soft boiled egg with flour followed by the egg wash.

• After this dredge the egg in the bread crumbs and fry for 10 seconds in hot oil. Drain when you take it out.

• Finish the rice with chopped scallion (green part) and serve with the crispy boiled egg on top.

The Weekly News is looking for a restaurant, café or personal chef to contribute weekly recipes to the newspaper. For more information call 946-4664 or email tcweeklynews@gmail.com.

IN THE spectrum of our beauty routines, from makeup to nail care, nothing seems to be more taxing than finding the right facial moisturiser.

I say this based on my own experiences and a frequent question I get: “What are some good moisturisers to try for my face?”

I normally share several things I’ve picked up over the years in choosing the right moisturiser to answer that.

See an expert Plain and simple, go see a dermatologist if you’re having serious trouble with your skin. It could be a sign of another underlying issue and it’s better to know than be sorry.

A professional can better help pinpoint the culprit and can provide some great solutions. We have a great and affordable specialist on island so save that plane ticket money.

Know your skin type Before looking for a moisturiser it’s a given that you must know your skin.

Do you know what’s really causing your oiliness or dryness? Are you really sensitive or just been using a product that reacts poorly with other items?

Do you really have trouble with acne or perhaps it’s the build up from too many products?

moisturisers are often recommended for those with oily to combination skin.

Take them time to REALLY get to know your skin! Again, seeing a dermatologist can be a big help in this process.

The illusion of price tags Not everything expensive is going to deliver and there are inexpensive lines that produce just as good results as designer labels.

In addition, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) actually doesn’t regulate facial moisturisers as closely as something like the cucumber you would slice to put on your eyes.

The big names can literally sell you a dream.

TIP: Those with sensitive skin, try to stay away from heavily fragranced products. Noncomedogenic

The skin also has seasonal changes With the changing weather we may sometimes see changes in our skin but we may not always be aware of this and blame the product or our genes.

Weather or climate can definitely play a role in your decision making. In the summertime I tend to opt for lighter moisturisers.

In the winter, I go a little heavier because the cooler conditions dry out my skin.

These are factors to pay attention to if you’ve been having trouble with your moisturisers and again, KNOWING your skin helps.

Sunscreen should be a must I won’t tell you that you have to use sunscreen, although we all should.

What I’ve learned over the years is that ultraviolet rays from the sun rob the skin.

I have heard this, read this and most importantly experienced the effects from neglecting to use SPF. Sunscreen is one of the most important additives in a daily moisturiser, so if you find one that comes with SPF, go for it.

March 22 - 28, 2014

Lifestyle...

YOUR DIET

ASK TAMIKA

BY TAMIKA HANDFIELD

Tamika graduated from Florida International University with a Master's Degree in Dietetics and Nutrition. She is a registered dietitian with the American Dietetic Association (ADA) and licenced to practise medical nutrition therapy in the state of Florida. Email Tamika at tamikahandfield@yahoo.com with your healthy eating questions.

Eating healthy when there is no budget TASTE has been proven to be the number one factor influencing food chose, but cost is also a strong determining factor.

There is a myth that healthy foods are too expensive. Therefore consumers feel it is cheaper to eat fast foods; they sometimes opt to sacrifice nutrition for cost in order to satisfy the physiological need of hunger.

While eating healthy may seem to be more expensive, feeding your family nutritiously is not impossible and it can be affordable.

You may find some of the tips below helpful: -Planning is essential. One of the best ways to overspend on your grocery bill is to go to the grocery store unprepared. The result is you end up wandering through the aisle tossing items into your shopping cart that you do not need and may not use.

It is important to have a plan of action before going to the grocery store. Decide what meals you want to make for your family during the coming week and make a shopping list based on those meals.

Double-check your cupboards to see what you already have on hand and update the list if needed.

-Cook in batches. This not only saves you money by preventing those fast foods stops, but also saves you time on busy evenings.

Choose a day during the weekend when you can cook large batches of two or three recipes. Separate into individual portions and freeze for use later in the week.

-Buy on sale. This maybe an obvious one, but may also result in food waste. We tend to buy large amounts of food when there is a sale, but it becomes very costly if we cannot use all the food we bought and have to throw it out.

Look out for sales but remember to only buy what you need or what you can use before it goes bad.

There are many more tips on how you can successfully eat healthy even when money is tight. However, space does not allow us to properly discuss all of them here.

In recognition of National Nutrition Month, Nutrition in Demand is hosting a one day workshop ‘Eating healthy when there is no budget’ on March 22 beginning at 9am.

We will discuss more money saving tips, teach you how to start your own backyard garden and show you how to cook tasty and healthy foods.

If you would like to register for this workshop, please visit www. nutritionindemand.com to reserve your space.

Nutrition in Demand. A non-profit organisation helping you to 'Eat healthy today...live longer, better tomorrow'. Call 242-3978 or 442-3978.

15

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

The Dentist and you  Mark Osmond BDS (Lond) LDS RCS (Eng). Mark Osmond Dental Clinic - (649) 432 3777, drmosmond@gmail.com or Find us on Facebook

By Dr Mark Osmond

Sugar and your teeth THE SUBJECT of sugar and its impact on health is very topical at the moment.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recently issued revised guidelines for the healthy limit of sugar consumption, reducing this number to five per cent of total calories consumed.

This is due to the increasing awareness of the link between highsugar foods and an increase in weight gain/obesity and the associated diseases such as heart disease and type two diabetes.

The WHO is particularly concerned about consumption of ‘free’ sugars.

These are defined as sugars that are added to foods by manufacturers, and sugars that are naturally present in fruit juices, fruit concentrates, syrups and honey. Sugary drinks, such as soda, are possibly the most concerning.

Impact on teeth It does not come as a surprise that discussions about sugar consumption are also of interest to dentists due to it

correlating closely with dental health.

WHO note that they are also concerned about how the consumption of free sugars is contributing to the prevalence of dental diseases.

Shockingly, recent WHO figures show that worldwide, 60 to 90 per cent of school children and the vast majority of adults have dental cavities.

Interestingly, studies in 12-yearolds show that the region suffering with the highest dental disease is the Americas and we know that this is due to the high level of sugar is people’s diets. (At present Africa is relatively low for exactly the opposite reason) How can I reduce my risk?

Dental decay occurs when sugar from food or drink is left on the teeth. Bacteria that live naturally in the mouth digest the sugar, turning it into acids.

If not removed through regular brushing this acid dissolves the enamel surface of the teeth, which over time creates cavities in teeth.

There are three sensible steps you can take to reduce your risk: 1) Reduce the sugar in your diet.

2) Ensure that you follow a sensible oral care regime of brushing your teeth twice a day (morning and last thing at night) and regularly flossing.

3) Regular visits to your dentist.

I would particularly highlight sugary drinks as ‘high-risk’.

You might imagine that Coke or 7-Up contains sugar but also drinks such as Gatorade, fruit juices, smoothies, and bottled iced-coffee or tea all contain either added or natural sugars.

And because drinks are in liquid form, they very easily ‘swill’ around the mouth and so effectively coat the teeth in sugar.

Also consider when you are consuming your sugar. If you are consuming high-sugar snacks or drinks continuously throughout the day, your risk of dental disease is much higher than if you were to eat the same amount in one sitting.

POLICE SAFETY TIPS

Not reporting a crime THE ROYAL Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force would like all crimes to be reported.

It’s important to report a crime because if you don’t, we won’t be aware of the situation and won’t be able to take any action. Ultimately the person responsible could go on to commit a similar crime.

There are various reasons why you may not want to report a crime.

You might think that it’s too trivial.

It may be a minor crime, but it can still be very upsetting. The police understand this and will take the incident you report seriously.

You might think that it’s too embarrassing. Sometimes people feel embarrassed about reporting crimes, particularly if they’re of a sexual nature.

The police will treat you sensitively and won’t judge you.

Whatever your gender, sexual orientation, race or physical ability, being a victim of a crime is traumatic.

You might be even inclined to believe that the police won’t care.

If the police are very busy, they may not be able to get to you as soon as they would like. However, our job is to protect and reassure and we do care about doing that.

You might also decide that you don’t care about what has happened. If you’re not concerned or upset by what has happened, that’s fine.

By Audley Astwood

Police Public Relations Officer Some people can take these things in their stride, and continue as if nothing has happened, even if it has been a serious crime. However, if you don’t report it, the police won’t have a chance to catch the person responsible, and they might do it again. The next time, they might pick on a person who is not so resilient as you.

You might also find yourself in a situation where you’re worried about what will happen after you report a crime.

People worry about going to the police and perhaps having to go to court and give evidence.

There is Crimestoppers and you can call anonymously at 1800-8477. Your identity will remain a secret.

For those who call the police directly, once you’ve reported a crime, the police will investigate it.

To do this, we may call at your home, or we might ask you to come to the police station, or we may just speak to you in the street, if that is where the crime has happened.

If you’ve been injured, and have to go to hospital, we may visit you there.

Normally a uniformed officer will

speak to you first. If the crime is of a sensitive nature, such as a sexual crime, you can ask to speak to an officer of your own sex.

Police officers are trained in interviewing victims and witnesses, but it can sometimes take quite a long time to get all the information they need.

The police realise that interviews can be a difficult experience, so if the interview is distressing, you can ask for a break at any time.

Sometimes the police may need to speak to you more than once, for example if they need to check information.

The police need as much information as possible to help them investigate the crime and to find other evidence.

Sometimes, the police will need to take evidence from where the crime took place. The procedures may vary depending on the type and severity of the crime. For example, they may take fingerprints or photos.

A specially trained scenes of crime officer will usually do this. The police know how stressful and sometimes embarrassing it can be to have fingerprints or other samples taken, and they will try to be sensitive.

If you’ve been injured in an attack, the police may need to collect medical evidence so they can prove in court what happened.

If you have further concerns about reporting a crime, please visit the public relations office at the Police Headquarters on Old Airport Road in Providenciales.

16

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

March 22 - 28, 2014

Regional News Caribbean to benefit from reformed British air passenger duty tax THE Barbados-based Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) Wednesday said it was “delighted” with the announcement by the British Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, that the Air Passenger Duty (APD) would be reformed from next year.

Delivering his 2014 national budget to legislators, Osborne said hat from April of 2015, the APD will be simplified into a two band system: Band A for short haul flights of less than 2000 miles from London and Band B for all long haul flights more than 2000 miles from London.

Under the new proposal, the new Band B will be charged at the planned rate in 2015-16 of £71 (One British Pound = US$1.66 cents)for reduced rate passengers and £142 for standard rate passengers.

“This is a complete victory for the Caribbean, which, led by the CTO, has been lobbying against the unfair system which charged a higher rate of APD on flights to Barbados than

Hawaii and placed the United States at a competitive advantage,” said CTO Chairman, Beverly Nicholson-Doty.

“We are delighted that the Chancellor has finally accepted the Caribbean’s proposal made in November 2010 to return to the simpler and fairer two band system” she said, thanking various stakeholders including the regional governments and diplomats based in London and Europe.

“Rest assured that the CTO, with support of our partners, will continue to advocate on behalf of the Caribbean tourism sector.

We will now proceed to examine all the implications of this very positive development and advise our members accordingly,” she added.

The CTO had over the years pointed out that the APD structure was unfair, noting that “duty on flights from the UK to Miami, Florida charged at lower rates than that on flights to Bridgetown, Barbados even though they are the

same distance from London”.

Meanwhile, the Grenada Hotel and Tourism Association (GHTA) said that it is also delighted that London has decided to review the APD. 0 “We are definitely happy to see this happen; it was not easy as it involved lobbying by countries and regional institutions especially the Caribbean Hotel Association and the Caribbean Tourism Organisation. We know that this move will definitely have positive impact on the tourism sector,” it said.

International airlines have also welcomed the new measure with a spokesman for Virgin Atlantic sayin “this is a very welcome simplification to remove some of the biggest distortions of the current system, which the Chancellor himself admitted is crazy and unjust.

“The Government has rightly recognised the damage APD is having on exporters and the travelling public alike,” the spokesman added.

(CMC)

Lawyer representing former Haitian president warns of “civil war” THE lead lawyer for Haiti’s former president Jean-Claude Duvalier “Baby Doc” is warning of possible “civil war” if an appeal filed by his client against a court ruling is overturned.

Last month, the court ordered further investigations into alleged abuses committed during the 15-year-rule by Duvalier, who returned to Port-Au-Prince in 2011 following 25 years in exile in France.

The Court of Appeals ruling reversed a January 2012 decision that stated the former leader could not be charged with crimes against humanity during his reign because the time for the prosecution of those offences had elapsed.

But lead defence attorney Reynold Georges, speaking on a radio station here after filing an appeal on Tuesday against the court, said he had also requested the removal of three judges because they were “untrustworthy.”

“If a decision is taken against Jean-Claude Duvalier by the court of appeals that could cause civil war.

Jean-Claude Duvalier “Baby Doc” is being investigated for alleged abuses during his 15year rule of Haiti.

The judges will be held responsible and held accountable for the civil war,” he told radio listeners.

Georges said he filed the appeal because Haiti doesn’t have a law that recognises crimes against humanity.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) last month joined other regional and international rights group in welcoming the decision by the Court of Appeals in Haiti.

Bahamas: Former teacher guilty in unnatural sex case ANDRE Birbal faces up to 20 years in prison in the Bahamas after being unanimously convicted earlier this week of two of the six unnatural sexual intercourse charges he faced concerning his former student.

The 51-year-old former arts and computer design instructor at Eight Mile Rock High School had no visible reaction to the forewoman’s announcement through their verdict that they believed he molested a male student in his class.

However, according to his lawyer Romona Farquharson-Seymour, he is “shaken up” by the outcome.

“He was charged with six and was acquitted of four, but he was found guilty of two of those charges.

“Whereby he has expressed his gratitude in terms of that, he’s still obviously still shaken by it that he would’ve been convicted on those two counts,” the court-appointed lawyer said.

When asked if Birbal intended to appeal, she said, “I’ve not had a chance to canvas that issue with him as yet as I will make efforts to go to the prison and see him and then go from there.”

“But I think right now our primary concern is to deal with sentencing.

He would’ve been remanded for some period of time, I think since 2009 or 2010, in custody. And because these are sexual offence matters, we have to look at the law and be in a good position to address

The suspect with his now dead wife Lurlene La Cruz, dead daughter Lea La Cruz (right), dead son Labron La Cruz, and his surviving daughter Lisa La Cruz (left) in happier times.

Guyana: Businessman burns wife and four children to death Andre Birbal could face up to 20 years for two unnatural sexual intercourse charges.

the judge in terms of what sentence ought to be passed.”

When asked to comment on the possible sentence her client could face, she said: “With the changes that have come in place now, certainly there will be a custodial sentence.”

“That’s why I’m saying I certainly have to look at the report that the probation officer from Social Services will prepare, and then look at the time he’s already served and obviously plead with the judge to give him as little time as he possibly can.”

Prosecutors Darell Taylor and Aaron Johnson offered no comment on the trial or its outcome. However,

Taylor did note that on the charges on which Birbal was convicted, he faces up to a maximum of 20 years imprisonment.

Birbal was initially accused of six counts of unnatural sexual intercourse with the minor between January 2002 and June 2007.

However, four of the six counts were dismissed following legal submissions and Justice Roy Jones directed the jury to acquit Birbal of those four counts on the day of the deliberation.

The jury had heard evidence from the complainant who recollected the alleged sexual abuse from Birbal from the seventh grade up to the day he was graduated.

A GUYANESE businessman is alleged to have burnt down his house which contained his wife and four of his five children in it.

The 50-year-old man who operates a business in Port Kaituma (a small town closer to Venezuela than Georgetown) is reported to have locked his 39-year-old wife and their children (ages: 14, eight, three and one) and then set the house on fire.

The accused, Linus La Cruz, reportedly told investigators that he was provoked to commit the act because of several stressful issues he has had to deal with recently, including a very huge debt owed to persons in the area, and other huge sums owed to persons in other communities.

He, however, could not explain to investigators why he decided to spare his own life while ending those of five family members. Other

family members have since painted a dark picture of how the family lived under an abusive cloud with La Cruz beating his wife and children whenever he was reportedly under the influence of alcohol and cocaine.

According to information from the South American country, the man had threatened to burn down the house and one of his daughters (12 years-old) after sneaking away made a report to the police station, but upon her return with the law enforcement officers (somewhat slow, due to hesitation by the police) the house was already on fire. The man who had locked the grill door of the house (which prevented his trapped family from being rescued) had made good his escape. He was however apprehended by publicspirited citizens and handed over to the police.

March 22 - 28, 2014

17

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

Regional News St Lucia minister says “emphatic no” to decriminalisation of marijuana NATIONAL Security Minister Phillip La Corbiniere has hinted that the St. Lucia government would not support plans to decriminalise marijuana for medicinal and religious activities.

Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders at their just concluded inter-sessional summit in St. Vincent and the Grenadines discuss the issue of decriminalising of small quantities of the drug as well as exploring the economic benefits that might be derived from marijuana cultivation.

According to the communiqué issued following the talks, the regional leaders agreed to the “establishment of a Regional Commission to address the issues identified and any others deemed relevant in order to provide clear guidance with regard to decisions to be taken”.

The Commission is expected to submit a report to the regional leaders at their annual summit in Antigua in

whom he went to school move from marijuana to hard drugs, and watched generations of families destroyed.

He said St. Lucia also had a problem with the use of alcohol resulting in tremendous social

National Security Minister Phillip La Corbiniere, speaking on television here, said he remains unconvinced about decriminalising marijuana, telling viewers if he had a deciding vote, it would be an emphatic no.

July.

But La Corbiniere, speaking on television here, said he remains unconvinced about decriminalising marijuana, telling viewers if he had a deciding vote, it would be an emphatic no.

“Maybe part of that relates to the fact that I grew up on the outskirts of the city where I was able to witness firsthand

the development of the drug problem.

“The problem actually started with marijuana, let us not forget that, it was the drug of choice on the streets for many years, and probably some 10 years after we saw the emergence of cocaine coming into the country,” he added.

La Corbiniere said that he had seen youngsters with

Former Jamaica finance minister wants fixed exchange rate THE Opposition Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) spokesman on Finance Audley Shaw has called on the government to fix the exchange rate in the interest of economic stability.

Shaw, in a presentation at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona Campus on Thursday, said calls for a competitive exchange rate are nothing more than a euphemism for further devaluation which he points out has brought little gain so far.

“Are we seeing more exports as a result? No, in fact exports are down, not up.

That is supposed to be one of the benefits of devaluation.

Shouldn’t we then be fighting to maintain a stable or fixed exchange rate because the bigger negative impact is on our debt? It is time for us to start asking where is the positive impact of this continued devaluation of the Jamaican dollar, if all we have are negatives, then I suggest that we need to look at fixing the exchange rate, even for a period of time.”

Shaw, a former Finance Minister, added that the slide in the dollar is responsible for J$140 billion of the J$300

billion increase in the debt in the last two years.

And in backing his calls for a fixed exchange rate, Shaw enlisted the help of studies which show the impact of a flexible exchange rate on economic activity.

“Most of these studies find that depreciation tend to be contractionary when foreign currency debt is high.

The studies also find that the presence of high foreign policy debt can even cause the flexible exchange rate regime to be more destabilizing than when the exchange rate is pegged,” he said.

In response, Dr Damien King, Head of the Department of Economics at the UWI, has given a swift thumbs down to the latest call for the government to fix the exchange rate.

“But worse than being futile, to the extent that you are actually able to hold it, you are creating a great imbalance between the cost of imports and the cost of domestic production, because you are subsidising imports with domestic production so you are really undermining any capacity for your local economy to continue operating when you are making imports

cheaper and cheaper.”

He added that while stabilising the exchange rate is an important goal, it must happen through balancing the budget and having a conservative monetary policy, not legislation.

According to King, unless that is done the country will get itself into problems by trying to stabilize the currency any other way.

Since March 2013, the Jamaican dollar has lost 12.2 percent of its value, moving from Jamaican $97.34 to US$1 to an all-time high of Jamaica $109.02 to US$1.

The young professional arm of the JLP, Generation 2000 (G2K), has also expressed concern at the rate of depreciation of the local currency.

“The slide in the dollar is having a debilitating effect on all Jamaicans, especially those in the micro and small enterprise sector. It is clear that at this pace of devaluation our businesses are unable to properly plan and forecast and it is completely eradicating the slim profit margins that these organisations currently survive on,” said President Floyd Green in a release issued last week.

and economic cost.

“The question facing us now is whether St. Lucia wants to impose a marijuana problem on that. So I would like to bring to any discussion both here and at the CARICOM

level, to what good use can marijuana be put, is there any impelling scientific factor that factor that gives rise to the use of the drug? I would like to see a lot more discussed on that issue.

18

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

March 22 - 28, 2014

Regional News Barbados opposition leader says more hardship ahead as new taxes announced THE Barbados government says it intends to sell off some assets as it moves to reduce the fiscal deficit by March next year.

Finance Minister Chris Sinckler presenting the Appropriations Bill in the House of Assembly on Monday announced a raft of new tax measures, including an increase in gasoline prices and the sale of the Barbados National Terminal Limited to help ease the financial burden facing the Freundel Stuart government.

In an immediate response, Opposition Leader Mia Mottley warned Barbadians they can expect more taxes to be imposed during the coming fiscal year as a result of the revenue-raising measures announced by the Finance Minister.

She described the new revenuegenerating measures as an ambush, adding that the proposed new energy taxes comprising the removal of the subsidies on diesel and a BDS$0.20 cents (One Barbados dollar = US$0.50 cents) increase in excise taxes on gasolene from April 1, will in reality also affect households.

Sinckler told legislators that in the period 2005-6, subsidies and transfers were estimated at BDS$782.1 million increasing to as much as BDS$1.137 billion by 20078. He said the figure increased by another one billion during the 200910 period.

“This shows that . . . expenditure has been growing, whilst the revenue has been shrinking. These things began from around 2005 to show up structural problems in the government finances. It is popular for the other sides and others to give the impression that it was due to government’s fiscal indiscipline

and all of these things to give the impression that this entire story can be told from the beginning of January 2008.”

Sinckler said that the situation does not “square with the facts” and “if we are to correct these issues, we have to be honest and fair up front, recognise that government is a continuum. History did not begin in 2008, but a build-up of challenges over many years”.

He said a study was done by a Governor of the Central Bank spoke about the need for government reform.

“He made the point that government was too big and that 36 cents of every dollar was going to pay wages and salaries and that you had to do something because if you did not address the issue along with other issues Barbados has within the economy, structurally it will come back to haunt us.

“The main point that I am saying is that he recognised then, as did many other people, that we had some fundamental structural issues to address. But at that time we were basking in the glory of the great expansion, money was flowing, drinks were being bought, all was well and we believed that we could postpone dealing with these fundamental issues,” Sinckler added.

The Finance Minister said that no one expected the scale of the financial crisis which arose from the financial crisis which gripped the world in 2008.

“We know that business cycles go up and business cycles come down and that it was inevitable that we would have a global recession, because that is part of the nature of

business cycle.

“However, nobody expected the financial crisis would have been so devastating to economies across the world and particularly to our major trading partners. We did not expect it. We never expected that it would have lasted this long and drag on.

The Governor of the Central Bank was saying that we should have been repositing ourselves. That is the real issue,” Sinckler said.

He said the government continues to have a problem with a shortfall in revenue, particularly with respect to personal and corporate taxes.

“The situation is a major worry to the Government especially as it relates to the contribution of the International Business and Financial Services sector,” said Sinckler, noting that because the retrenchment process in the public sector had not been totally completed at the time of the preparation of the Estimates, they could not be fully reflected in the document.

But he said that would be done and once the process is completed along with the reforms of 19 state institutions, government will realise additional savings of about BDS$40 million by the end of 2014-2015.

“It means therefore we will be left with a shortfall of BDS$105 million to get to our target,” he said, adding “in accounting to get to our desired target it will be necessary for Government to make additional adjustments of $145 million,” he said.

The Finance Minister said in order to close the BDS$105 million loophole, the tax applied to Bank Assets will be extended to all financial institutions effective April 1, 2014 and is expected to raise an additional six million dollars. (CMC)

Dominica health authorities issue warning against sex enhancement drug HEALTH authorities Tuesday warned Dominicans to refrain from using a sexual enhancement drug being sold on various websites because it may result in heart failure.

The Ministry of Health said that the US-based Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had also issued a statement about the drug, “Weekend Warrior”.

It said consumers should not buy the drug.

“FDA laboratory analysis confirmed that Weekend Warrior contains thiosildenafil, a substance

structurally similar to the active ingredient in the FDA approved prescription drug Viagra, used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED),” the Ministry of Health said in a statement.

“This undeclared ingredient may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs such as nitroglycerin and may lower blood pressure to dangerous levels,” the statement said, adding that possible negative side effects of Weekend Warrior may include dizziness, fainting and even heart attack or stroke.

It warned that men with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart disease are to be on the lookout since they often take nitrates.

“The Ministry of Health is therefore advising the general public to take the necessary measures and stop using this product immediately, and throw it away.

“Persons who have experienced any negative side effects should consult their health care provider or the nearest Health Centre as soon as possible,” the Ministry of Health added. (CMC)

American gets five years for weapons shipment to Dominican Republic THE United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency says a Pennsylvania man has been jailed for five years for shipping weapons to the Dominican Republic.

Rafael Cabrera-Mesa, 36, of Reading, Pennsylvania was sentenced the day before for “shipping a firearm and ammunition in foreign commerce and use of false identification, following an investigation

by US Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).”

Cabrera-Mesa pleaded guilty to the charges on December 18, 2013.

In addition to the prison term,

ICE said the judge ordered three years of supervised release and a US$200 special assessment to Cabrera-Mesa.

The ICE reported that on February 1, 2010, Cabrera-Mesa “possessed, and shipped to the Dominican Republic a Remington Model 760 Gamemaster .30-06 rifle, along with numerous rounds of ammunition.”

The immigration agency also said Cabrera-Mesa “stole the identity of a deceased US citizen, using that person’s birth certificate and social security number in order to avoid apprehension by immigration authorities.” (CMC)

DR homicide rate hits lowest level in 11 years THE homicide rate in the Dominican Republic plunged to an 11-year low in 2013 as the government used the military to back up the National Police, bucking the trend in the Caribbean where increased drug trafficking has brought more violence.

The number of homicides fell by 12.5 percent last year to 1,975, compared with 2,258 in 2012, according to statistics supplied to Reuters by the attorney general’s office.

That brought the homicide rate in the Caribbean country of 9.8 million to 20 murders per 100,000 residents, the lowest since 2002 when the rate was 14 per 100,000.

The administration of Dominican President Danilo Medina tightened security last year by calling in the military to patrol alongside the National Police.

When the troops were first sent into the streets, Medina was criticized for militarizing policing. Residents complained about the unsettling presence of machine gun-wielding soldiers walking streets and building makeshift camps in city parks.

But after witnessing a marked drop in crime, the government last month extended the order to keep soldiers in the street.

“In each operation that we carry out, we’re coordinating with different departments, including intelligence and counter-narcotics offices,” said National Police Colonel Jacobo Moquete. “We’ve been able to improve our operational capacity and we’re conducting more efficient operations.”

Other large islands in the Caribbean did not share the Dominican Republic’s success.

Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago, which perennially appear near the top of world rankings for murder rates, both saw homicides increase last year.

Better known internationally for white sand beaches and turquoise waters, the Caribbean is one of the world’s most violent regions, according to the United Nations Development Programme.

General John F. Kelly, commander of U.S. Southern Command, said on Wednesday that there has been an increase in drug shipments through the Caribbean as an alternative to the Central America-Mexico route, which remains the preferred route for cocaine smuggling.

“We’ve seen now is an increase in the flow up the West Indies onward to two locations, one being the Dominican Republic,” he said in a briefing at the Pentagon.

The Dominican Republic has been called the principal transshipment point in the Caribbean. Dominican officials agree that international criminal organizations are increasingly using the country as a point to move drugs to Puerto Rico, the mainland United States and Europe.

Criminal organizations, largely led by Mexican drug cartels, last year used the Caribbean to smuggle some 14 percent of the cocaine that was brought into the United States, double the percentage from a year earlier, according to estimates from the U.S. government.

March 22 - 28, 2014

World News

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TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

From one lead, a sea of questions emerges Gustavo Petro was first removed in December.

Bogota mayor Gustavo Petro removed by president COLOMBIA’S President Juan Manuel Santos has removed the mayor of Bogota and leading leftist, Gustavo Petro, despite a call by an international court to suspend the decision.

On Tuesday, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights ruled that the sacking violated his rights.

But the Colombian president said Mr Petro had been given every opportunity to defend himself.

He replaced him with an interim mayor, the Labour Minister Rafael Pardo.

Mr Petro was ousted by Colombia’s inspector-general in December, and banned from holding public

office for 15 years, over the alleged mismanagement of the rubbish collection service in the capital.

He appealed against the decision, saying it was politically motivated.

But on Tuesday, Colombia’s Supreme Court, the highest in the country, dismissed various legal challenges to his removal, saying the matter was in the hands of the president and ready to be enacted.

Hours later, however, the Washington-based IACHR ruled that Colombia’s inspector-general violated the region’s human rights charter, and insisted the leftist former guerrilla be allowed to serve out his term. (BBC)

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), seen here at the Conservative Political Action Committee annual conference earlier this month, is a frontrunner for the GOP presidential nomination in 2016, polls show.

Kentucky passes law that would pave path to a Rand Paul presidential run KENTUCKY state legislators passed a bill Tuesday allowing lawmakers to run for two offices at once — removing one potential roadblock to a Rand Paul presidential candidacy.

The Republican-controlled state Senate passed the law, titled Senate Bill 205, which would allow a candidate to simultaneously run for two offices, the Lexington (Ky.) Herald-Leader reported.

The bill would also make it legal for a candidate to appear on a ballot in more than one race.

Its passage in the House is widely thought to be the product of state

GOP figures who are eager to see Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul run for President in 2016.

Paul hasn’t said whether he’ll run, but he is widely thought to be carefully considering a bid.

He has, however, made it clear that he’ll definitely’ run for reelection to his Senate seat, which would also occur in 2016.

Current Kentucky state law makes it illegal for one candidate to appear on the same ballot twice.

Paul’s camp has stated in the past that they don’t believe the existing law applies to federal elections.

(NYdailynews)

(CNN) -- Images of possible debris from Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 have been captured on satellite in the southern Indian Ocean. The best lead yet on where the missing plane might be has prompted a massive search in the area more than 1,500 miles southwest of Australia.

The Boeing 777 took off from Kuala Lumpur March 8 with 239 people aboard, bound for Beijing.

When will we know whether the debris that’s been spotted in the southern Indian Ocean is from missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370?

John Young, general manager of emergency response for the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, says it will be a lengthy process.

“We have to locate it, confirm that it belongs to the aircraft, recover it and then bring it a long way back to Australia, so that could take some time.”

Satellites captured images of the objects Sunday about 14 miles (23 kilometers) from each other and about 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) southwest of Australia’s west coast. The area is a remote, rarely traveled expanse of ocean far from commercial shipping lanes.

Would pieces of the plane still be floating?

If the plane crashed into the water, large pieces would not still be floating by now, according to Steve Wallace, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s former director of accident investigation. But pieces of lightweight debris, not aircraft structure, could be floating days after the aircraft struck the water, he said.

That could include life jackets and seat cushions.

Is it possible that the plane would have gone that far?

Mitchell Casado, a flight instructor on a 777 flight simulator, said that running out of gas would be a big concern.

“There’s such few options,” he said.

“As long-range as this aircraft is, it’s a long way to any suitable airport out there. There are some small islands, you know, that you could possibly land at, but that would really be pushing your -- the limits of the airplane. So I would really be worried about running out of gas.”

The 777, when fully fueled, can go 16 to 18 hours. Flight 370 wasn’t.

Some planes flew over the area, and a ship went there. What did they find?

Four aircraft -- two from Australia, one from New Zealand and one from the United States -- flew into the search area but found nothing

A satellite image taken on March 16, 2014 and released by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority shows debris believed to be possible wreckage from Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 in the Indian Ocean, about 1,500 miles west of Perth.

of note. A Norwegian cargo ship also arrived in the area Thursday afternoon but had not found anything as of nightfall. The searches were hindered by low visibility and rough seas in the region, a wild and remote stretch of ocean rarely traveled by commercial shipping or aircraft. A second merchant ship is steaming to the area, as is the HMAS Success, an Australian naval vessel that is still several days away. China and Malaysia are also sending vessels to the area, they said Thursday.

If it’s not the plane, what else could it be?

Almost anything big and buoyant.

The objects were spotted in a part of the Indian Ocean known for swirling currents called gyres that can trap all sorts of floating debris. Among the leading contenders for what the objects might be, assuming they’re not part of Flight 370: shipping containers that fell off a passing cargo vessel. There are reasons to doubt that theory, however. The area isn’t near commercial shipping lanes, and the larger object, at an estimated 79 feet (24 meters), would seem to be nearly twice as long as standard shipping containers.

If it is the plane, would its location tell us anything about what happened on that flight?

If it really is the wreckage of the Boeing 777-200, its far southern location would provide investigators with precious clues into what terrible events unfolded to result in the disappearance and loss of the airliner, according to Robert Goyer, editor-in-chief of Flying magazine and a commercial jet-rated pilot.

“The location would suggest a few very important parameters. The spot where searchers have found hoped-for clues is, based on the location information provided by the Australian government, nearly 4,000 miles from where the airliner

made its unexpected and as yet unexplained turn to the west,” Goyer wrote. The first obvious clue is that the airplane flew for many hours.

What do the satellite images show?

Thailand radar tracked unknown signal Data from pilot’s simulator deleted Fisherman: I saw plane flying really low Two indistinct objects, one about 79 feet (24 meters) in length and the other about 16 feet (5 meters) long. Though they don’t look like much to the untrained observer, Australian intelligence imagery experts who looked at the pictures saw enough to pass them along to the maritime safety agency, Young said. “Those who are expert indicate they are credible sightings. And the indication to me is of objects that are reasonable size and are probably awash with water, bobbing up and down out of the surface,” he said.

How old are the satellite images?

They were taken by commercial satellite imaging company DigitalGlobe on Sunday.

Why are we just hearing about them now?

Basically, the Australians say, it’s because the Indian Ocean is a very big place. The maritime safety authority said it took four days for the images to reach it “due to the volume of imagery being searched and the detailed process of analysis that followed.”

How did they know to look in this area?

This southern area is where searchers believe there is the most likelihood of the plane being found.

U.S. officials have also said the southern corridor is where the plane is most likely to be.

The searchers used mathematics to narrow the likely area to a square -- and that is where these images have emerged.

20

World News

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

March 22 - 28, 2014

UK Budget 2014: George Osborne defends pensions overhaul CHANCELLOR George Osborne has defended changes to pensions in the Budget, saying people “are capable of making decisions” over their future finances.

From 2015, pensioners will have the freedom to cash in as much or as little of their pension pot as they want, removing the need to buy an annuity.

In response, firms which sell such policies saw their share prices tumble.

The insurance industry said the reforms presented a “significant challenge” and it was “crucial” to get them right.

Mr Osborne said the changes were part of the “most far-reaching reforms” to the taxation of pensions for 90 years.

“People who have saved through their lives, saved for a pension, these are responsible people who are capable of making decisions - with good advice - about their future,” he told the BBC.

India Mumbai gang rape: Four convicted A COURT in the Indian city of Mumbai has convicted four men of the gang rape of a photojournalist last year.

The men have been found guilty of five offences, including gang rape, unnatural sex and destruction of evidence. Sentencing is set for Friday.

The 22-year-old woman was attacked by five men while on assignment in a deserted mill in August.

The fifth accused, believed to be under 18 at the time of the incident, is being tried in a juvenile court.

Maharashtra state Home Minister RR Patil, who was in court for Thursday’s verdict, said justice had been done.

“The verdict will send a message to the other offenders.

It will be a deterrent,” Mr Patil said.

An intern with a Mumbaibased English magazine, the victim had gone to the Shakti Mills - a former textile mill that now lies abandoned and in ruins - with a male colleague on a photo assignment when she was attacked.

Her colleague was beaten during the assault.

The case renewed public outrage over sexual violence in India.

Pro-Russians took over the Sevastopol navy base.

George Osborne calls it a Budget for “makers, doers and savers”.

“The truth about annuities is that, for many people, they will want an annuity, but for many other people annuities have not been good value, they’ve not produced the kind of incomes people hoped.”

Pensions changes were among a series of measures announced in a Budget that Mr Osborne said would reward the “makers, doers and savers”.

However, hours after he outlined his plans, the Conservatives faced a backlash over an advert highlighting changes to beer and bingo taxes.

The online advert, tweeted by Tory chairman Grant Shapps, said the cuts would “help hardworking people do more of the things they enjoy”.

Danny Alexander: “I thought it was a spoof at first - it’s just pretty extraordinary” It was described as “patronising”

by Mr Osborne’s deputy, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander, who said he initially thought it was a “spoof”.

Labour said it was “ill-conceived” and “condescending”. Mr Osborne said the controversy had been “whipped up by the Labour Party who didn’t have anything else to say about the economy”.

In his fifth Budget - 15 months away from the next general election - the chancellor sought to help pensioners and savers penalised by low interest rates. (BBC)

Chicago man murdered, dumped body of girlfriend’s 1-year-old toddler: police A CHICAGO man beat and battered his girlfriend’s 19-month-old toddler to death Sunday before dumping the girl’s little body in a suburban park, police said Wednesday.

James Harris, 23, had been in police custody since after 5 p.m.

Sunday, when his girlfriend, Jocelyn Roberson, reported her daughter missing.

Two hours earlier, a passerby reported finding the bruised and battered body of little Amierah Roberson, who had been dumped in broad daylight in a Riverdale park some 20 miles from Harris’s apartment.

Harris finally admitted to police Wednesday that he’d beaten the girl to death in his home sometime Sunday before leaving her in the wooded park.

The girl died of head trauma.

Harris is charged with murder.

The girl’s mother left her little tot, whom family said loved to sing and dance, with her boyfriend of seven months while the 23-year-old woman went off to work.

After the missing report, cops combed the neighborhood looking for the girl. Harris originally told

Ukraine ‘preparing withdrawal of troops from Crimea’ UKRAINE is drawing up plans to withdraw its soldiers and their families from Crimea, Kiev’s security chief says.

Andriy Parubiy said they wanted to move them “quickly and efficiently” to mainland Ukraine.

Earlier, pro-Russian forces seized two naval bases - including Ukraine navy’s HQ - in Crimea. Kiev says its navy chief has been detained.

It comes a day after Crimean leaders signed a treaty with Moscow absorbing the peninsula into Russia.

A referendum in Crimea on Sunday, approving its split from Ukraine, came nearly a month after Kiev’s pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych was replaced by Western-leaning interim authorities.

Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has called the crisis in Crimea “the gravest threat to European security and stability since the end of the Cold War”.

There were charged exchanges in a session of the UN Security

Council, during which US envoy Samantha Power said her Russian counterpart Vitaly Churkin “showed more imagination than Tolstoy or Chekhov”.

“Russia it seems has re-written its borders but it cannot rewrite the facts,” said Ms Power, who was then accused by Mr Churkin of dropping “to the level of the tabloid press”.

Mr Parubiy, in a news conference, set out more details on Kiev’s position in light of the events in Crimea.

He said arrangements were now being set up to introduce visas for Russian nationals travelling to Ukraine.

And he said Kiev was seeking UN support to “proclaim Crimea a demilitarised zone”, which would involve the withdrawal of Russian troops and the “relocation of Ukrainian troops to continental Ukraine as well as facilitate evacuation of all the civilian population who are unwilling to remain on the occupied territory”.

Italian ex-PM Berlusconi renounces knight title

The body of a young girl found in Riverdale is that of Amierah Roberson, 1, (pictured here) who was reported missing from a South Side home, according to the medical examiner.

authorities he’d set the girl down briefly and then turned around to find her missing.

“He was running around saying, ‘She’s missing.’ My daughter was hysterical,” Bernadette Madison, Amierah’s grandmother, told the Chicago Tribune on Monday.

(NYdailynews)

FORMER Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has resigned his knighthood, a day after an appeals court upheld his two-year ban from public office.

Berlusconi was granted the title Knight of Labour - an order of merit given to entrepreneurs - in the 1970s.

The honorific earned him the famous nickname, Il Cavaliere, or The Knight.

But some members of the order had been calling for Berlusconi’s expulsion after he was found guilty of tax fraud last year.

Following the verdict, he was also stripped of his senate seat and sentenced to four years’ imprisonment.

The jail term is likely to be commuted to one year’s community service.

Berlusconi announced his decision in a letter sent to the Federation of

The knighthood earned Silvio Berlusconi his famous nickname, Il Cavaliere.

Knights of Labour before a planned board meeting.

The order’s rules stipulate that members must exhibit “exemplary civil and social behaviour”, the AFP news agency reports.

Tuesday’s ruling by the highest appeals court on the public office ban means Berlusconi will be unable to stand in elections for the European Parliament in May. (BBC)

March 22 - 28, 2014

World News

21

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

Chinese media: Kindergartens suspected of drugging students to boost attendance

La China in her den, where she put the baby with her puppies.

Argentine dog saves abandoned baby AN eight-year-old dog has touched the hearts of Argentines by saving the life of an abandoned baby, placing him safely alongside her own new puppies.

The country’s media are calling him “the miracle baby”.

He was born prematurely to a 14-year-old girl in a shanty town outside the capital, Buenos Aires.

She is said to have panicked and abandoned the boy in a field, surrounded by wooden boxes and rubbish.

Then along came La China, reports say, the dog which somehow picked up the baby and carried him 50m to place him alongside her own puppies.

The dog’s owner reported hearing the child crying and finding him covered with a rag.

The baby, weighing 4kg (8lb 13oz), had some slight injuries, but no bite marks.

The owner called the police and the child is now being looked after by the authorities, while a decision is taken about his future.

The frightened mother appeared shortly after her baby was found.

The Argentine media has descended on the shanty town, talking of “the Argentine Romulus and Remus”, the legendary founders of Rome, abandoned as babies and rescued by a wolf, nearly 3,000 years ago.

La China, worried about her own puppies, is reported to be petrified by her new found fame, and her owner says he is worried that she is not eating. (BBC)

Hitachi to move rail business to UK from Japan JAPANESE electronics firm Hitachi says it will move its global rail business from Japan to the United Kingdom.

The firm says it hopes the move will help it to expand the rail business to 4,000 workers from the current 2,500.

It plans to increase revenue from 2bn euros to 3bn euros ($4bn; £2.5bn) over the next few years.

Last July, Hitachi won a £1.2bn deal to make the next generation of inter-city trains in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, where it is building a factory.

That will initially employ 750 workers when it opens next year.

The move is an unusual one for a Japanese company, and puts it geographically nearer to its main train-building rivals, such as Siemens of Germany.

The BBC’s industry correspondent, John Moylan, also says it will boost Hitachi’s British credentials in the wake of rows over rail contracts being awarded to foreign firms.

In a statement, the Government described the move as a huge vote of confidence in Britain, its workforce and its rail industry.

Hitachi manufactures everything from nuclear power plants to construction machinery to televisions; its rail division is relatively small, employing around 2,500 of Hitachi’s 326,000 workers.

“Today’s announcement is a significant sign of intent by Hitachi to grow its business in the rail market,” said Alistair Dormer, chief executive of the global rail systems business.

“Both the UK and Japan remain important as markets for Hitachi Rail, and with our train factory in the North East of England now under construction, we will work to realise our export potential from the UK, expanding into Europe and emergent markets.”

Last quarter, the firm reported profits of 126 billion yen ($1.2bn; £725m) for the three-month period to 31 December 2013. (BBC)

KINDERGARTENS in three Chinese provinces are accused of giving prescription drugs to children without their parents’ knowledge, according to Xinhua, China’s staterun news agency.

The drugs were given to prevent the children from getting sick in order to boost attendance, the news agency reported. The schools get paid based on attendance.

The scandal started last week in one kindergarten in the city of Xi’an and has now spread to several in the country, prompting China’s education and health ministries to require its local branches to check all kindergartens and primary schools for illegally administered drugs, according to the Global Times newspaper.

Almost 2,000 children who attended the suspected kindergartens are receiving medical attention as some reported side effects from the medication, such as dizziness, stomachaches, leg pains and genital swelling, Xinhua said.

In an article Tuesday, state media called it a “crisis of confidence in kindergarten managers.” It said that many parents are fed up with private kindergartens “which are poorly funded, poorly managed and frequently in a bad state of repair.”

China’s preschools have been riddled with what the state media called “a long history of avoidable problems” such as food safety and physical abuse.

Chinese parents gather in front of the Fanglin Kindergarten in Jilin city, over the school’s feeding of a prescription drug to their children on March 17.

Some angry parents of the affected kindergartens rallied in front of the facilities and local government buildings.

Last week, Xinhua reported that a parent accused a kindergarten in Xi’an, in Shaanxi province of administering an antiviral drug to children.

One parent told the Global Times that several kindergarteners had been complaining about stomachaches or night sweats.

When their parents took them to the doctors, they found abnormal results in urine and blood tests -traces of possible damage to the kidney or liver, the parent told Chinese media. The doctors were stumped over the diagnosis.

Local authorities said that the administrators at the Fengyun Lanwan Kindergarten had given children moroxydine ABOB, a medicine which can cause side effects such as sweating, loss of appetite and hypoglycemia since 2008. The prescription drug is used to treat the flu.

“Teachers told my child the pill was good for him but should be kept secret,” one parent, identified as Zhang told Xinhua. “They have been taking it for nearly three years.”

Another kindergarten in Xi’an, called Hongji Xincheng has also been suspected of following the same practice, Xinhua said. Together, the two kindergartens have 1,455 students. (CNN)

Transgender woman accuses alter ego of prostitute killings They at least got one of them.

A transgender woman accused of killing three prostitutes in 1990 says it wasn’t her who killed them but her violent male alter ego, Douglas.

The head-spinning defense given

by Donna Perry of Spokane, Wash., comes after her arrest in the shooting deaths of Yolanda Sapp, Kathleen Brisbois and Nickie Lowe, whose bodies were found naked along the Spokane River.

The 62-year-old, who underwent gender reassignment surgery in 2000, allegedly told police in 2012 that her decision to change from Douglas to Donna was done in part “as a permanent way to control violence,” KXLY reported.

Despite being linked to the murders through DNA evidence, according to an arrest affidavit, Perry has argued her innocence.

In an interview with detectives in 2012, she allegedly said that she didn’t know what Douglas Perry

Donna Perry, a 62-year-old transgender woman, accuses her alter ego Douglas of committing three murders in 1990.

may have done.

“I’m not going to admit I killed anybody, I didn’t. Donna has killed nobody,” she said.

She argues Douglas Perry is an entirely different person and the crimes were been committed 20 years ago — too long for her to remember.

When detectives asked her why the murders stopped, she allegedly replied: “Douglas didn’t stop. Donna stopped it.”

Adding to the confusion, during her bond hearing on Tuesday, her defense attorney claimed she was unable to meet with with the defendant because jailhouse records have her listed as Douglas Perry.

“They say she’s not here because they have her listed under her prior name,” defense attorney Anna Nordtvedt said, according to Spokesman.com.

Her bail was set at $1 million.

(NYdailynews)

22 NEWS

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

Governor Peter Beckingham, Premier Rufus Ewing and developers of Sailrock Ted Weldon and Colin Kihnke at Tuesday’s ceremony

March 22 - 28, 2014

Sod turned in South Caicos to jump start next component of the Sailrock development

Sailrock development moves forward in South Caicos WITH the Atlantic ocean on one side and the Caicos Bank on the other affording breath-taking views of nature’s beauty, the Sailrock development is poised to become one of the more sought after vacation spots in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

And according to developers it will be mostly local residents that are trained and employed to build and develop the impressive South Caicos resort.

Governor Peter Beckingham and Premier Rufus Ewing on Tuesday (March 18) joined president of CMK Development, Colin Kihnke to break ground for Sailrock’s newest component, Villas at the Great House.

The Great House is intended to serve as the focal point for the entire Sailrock development and as the anchor for the beachfront villas, which will surround it.

When completed, it will feature a restaurant, bar, lounge, fresh market and infinity edge pool.

During the ground-breaking ceremony, held on site of the proposed development, Kihnke said it has been a long process getting to this point.

He said they have been working on infrastructure for years, and while some villas have already been built, Tuesday’ sod turning was the first point of them moving forward.

Recounting his first and subsequent trips to the Turks and Caicos Islands, the developer said it was not the really the land which intrigued him so much; but the people, history, culture and heritage of South Caicos.

“This is a unique site, it has elevation which is unusual in the Turks and Caicos… it has the widest beach in the Turks and Caicos Islands. You probably thought it was Grace Bay; it’s not.”

He noted that this component of

the project will take up just over 40 acres, with 14 beachfront villas on the crest of the beach facing the Atlantic ocean, nine on the Caicos Bank, and a number of two storey attached villas along the ridge top.

Kihnke noted: “This is a low density eco-friendly project. We are impacting the native vegetation as little as possible.”

He said that when completed there will be just under 90 villas.

“We are starting construction now, we would anticipate that the first villas, which would be five beach front villas and two attached ridge top villas and the Great House and its components would all be completed within 18 months,” the CMK president said.

He added that Great House is the name of the project and all of the units within project will be branded to the Great House.

Kihnke also noted that they intend to continue with their trend of keeping the labour force for Sailrock mostly local.

Principal and director Theodore ‘Ted’ Weldon extended thanks to the people of South Caicos during brief comments.

The Premier in his remarks congratulated Sailrock for being persistent visionaries and for working with the community of South Caicos.

“If I can speak of one development that has shown an interest in working with the community, that is Sailrock; and without a doubt I know that they will continue to ensure that this development and the money that derives from this development trickles down into the communities of South Caicos,” Ewing said.

He called on the developers to ensure that training opportunities are afforded to South Caicos residents within their employ, as they have expressed concerns along this line.

An artistic rendering of what Great House at Sailrock with look like when completed

“I am looking forward to you partnering with the Government to ensure that the people that need to experience this resort get a chance to experience it and that is bringing more tourists to the island of South Caicos,” Ewing added.

He said Government is now focused on getting more tourists to the family islands; as such, they also need to do what is right concerning the airport and getting greater airlifts into South Caicos.

During his remarks, Governor Beckingham said he has no doubt that the project is going to be great for South Caicos and that he is convinced that it will be great for the economy.

He said he was struck when he first visited that the developers and

owners had the interests of South Caicos residents in their hearts.

“They are not here purely to make quick money and to get out - this is a very long term investment - they are interested in seeing South Caicos develop, they are interested in seeing some of the historical sites which have sadly been damaged but not yet properly repaired.

“They want to see those put to a better use and I applaud them for doing that,” Beckingham observed.

He added that coming to South Caicos after another development in Providenciales earlier this year, this is a clear sign that the economy of TCI is on the move and that things are getting better.

“I do hope that we will soon see the trickle-down effect… people

who are working on the development benefitting from it, and I am in no doubt that we will soon,” the Governor said.

A new executive director for Sailrock was also announced at Tuesday’s ceremony.

Grant Noble, formerly of Parrot Cay – where he worked for four years - will now head the development.

He told the Weekly News that he is excited to start working to get more people coming to South Caicos to stay and experience the place, also to drive up revenue.

“I speak to so many people in Provo who are from South Caicos; we need to make jobs so they can come home. It is going to be a continued 

March 22 - 28, 2014

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

NEWS 23

Celebrating education and the efforts of teachers

By Marguerite C Anderson SCHOOLS in North and Middle Caicos held a range of events and activities to highlight Education Week recently.

The event was held from March 3 to 7 and was celebrated under the theme ‘Promoting education through teacher appreciation.’

It began with a combined devotional exercise held on Monday, March 3, at the Church of God of Prophecy in Bottle Creek.

The service which began at 9am brought together the Doris Robinson Primary (Middle Caicos), and the North Caicos group of schools Adelaide Oemler Primary, Charles Hubert James Primary and Raymond Gardiner High School.

Staff and students of these institutions had a jubilant fellowship at the church. A number of distinguished guests and members of

parliament were in attendance.

Among these were Opposition Leader Sharlene Cartwright Robinson, Josephine Connolly, Clarence Selver, Astwood Forbes, District Commissioner for North and Middle Caicos Donna Gardiner, guest speaker and Trinity Baptist Church minister, Pastor Arthur Harris, president of the TCI Baptist Union, Llewlyn Handfield, PTA president of Raymond Gardiner High School, Henry Butterfield, and Cynclair Musgrove (Lady C).

The event was chaired by Hamutal Handfield, retired educator at Adelaide Oemler Primary School.

Teacher at Raymond Gardiner High School, Jasmin Walkin, addressed a concern as it related to “teacher appreciation”.

He indicated that various stakeholders often mention the value of teachers and how much they appreciate them.

Sailrock development ... continued 

predominantly South Caicos work force.”

Asked about the employment rate going forward, Noble said that locals are already doing the construction, and his intention is to take the labour force to 80/20 ratio, in favour of Belongers.

“From my side, I want to have an 80/20 ratio; 80 per cent Belonger and 20 per cent expat/ others.

“As for now most of the resorts in Provo are 50/50, but I want to go 80/20,” the new executive director said.

Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition and South Caicos native, Sharlene Cartwright Robinson told the Weekly News that she is very excited about the project and what the developers are planning for South Caicos.

“South Caicos really does need a boost in the local economy; my focus is employment and making sure that our people get an opportunity to be a part of the development by having employment and of course training to make sure that we can reach to the higher echelons in the company.”

She added that CMK is already showing that they take their corporate responsibility seriously, from as early as 2008.

“They were the first company that came in and helped persons

to get materials to rebuild their homes.

“So I am pretty satisfied that they are going to be a strong corporate citizen and will always do well for the entire island.”

She stated that in Butch Clare, the South Caicos-born vice president of development, the developers have already shown their willingness to employ locals in the high posts.

The party leader added that they have also recognised the willingness of South Caicos natives to move back home for employment.

District representative for South Caicos, Norman Saunders Senior, also had words of congratulations and encouragement for the Sailrock development.

“I have very good feelings about CMK, they have been around for a while, they love South Caicos; they really love it.

“They are not just developing for the benefit of making profit, they love the place and I think they are going to do well,” Saunders observed.

Following the groundbreaking ceremony, guests were treated to light refreshments at one of the already completed villas, which feature an infinity pool, a fantastic view of the Atlantic and a host of other luxurious amenities. (DI)

Lea-Beima Dorstan, Joshua St Michael Meghoo and Curmaine Simmons read a dramatic poem at the literary symposium

However, Walkin alluded to the fact that true appreciation comes from the Government treasury.

He spoke of the climate that teachers must now operate under the lack of teaching resources, the escalated cost of living, and the decline in discipline among students.

These factors, Walkin believes, cause many teachers to feel demotivated.

He encouraged stakeholders to do more in an effort to appreciate those who are the backbones to nation building.

At the ceremony, students of North and Middle Caicos schools gave tributes to teachers through song, dramatic poetry, and other musical selections.

Guest speaker, Pastor Arthur Harris spoke of the importance of listening to authority.

He emphasised that there are many students who act as if they are above the authority of teachers and administrative figures in the schools.

He reminded students that no good is ever achieved with this kind of attitude and he reiterated this sentiment by making a parallel to the importance of listening to the instructions and directives of the sovereign authority God. ALL ABOUT BOOKS Raymond Gardiner High School continued on Wednesday with a literary symposium whereby students

of literature showcased what they have been taught throughout the school year.

Among these presentations were a group of first form students who gave an eloquent rendition of dramatic poetry which highlights the importance of studying literature.

Other class groups gave skits on various literature texts that they have studied.

One notable performance was a skit done by fifth form students, and depicting a scene from Earl Lovelace’s novel ‘The Wine of Astonishment’.

The scene gave a frightening social commentary on the dilemma faced by a small community in Trinidad, after the British took over and imposed a ban on the Spiritual Baptist’s way of worship.

Students, along with their teacher, Marguerite Anderson made learning a communal affair when they gave a glimpse at the literary texts explored throughout their school year.

Thursday’s activity was no less exciting for the students as Special Constable Audley Astwood visited Raymond Gardiner High School and had a rap-session with the student body.

In the face of the recent shut-down at Clement Howell High School, Constable Astwood was invited to speak to parents, students, teachers and community members in an effort

Students perform a skit on the novel, The Wine of Astonishment

to tackle gangs rising up into our schools.

On Wednesday afternoon, a separate forum was used to address parents and community members on this concern.

Other members of the Royal Turks and Caicos Police Force shared in this forum.

Among them were Divisional Inspector Kingsley Laborde and Sergeant Felix Brown.

The forum took place through the initiative of the school’s guidance counsellor Felicia Lewis.

Specially invited speaker, Astwood expressed grave concern over the emerging criminal acts in the TCI. He said that the recent murder of Grace Bay businessman, Robert Been is something that has rocked the community.

He added that many parents shield their children who are involved in early criminal acts and who have formed gangs within the schools.

Constable Astwood spoke of the fact that too many of us are afraid to offend people and he says this attitude is a major reason for the difficulty the police force has in getting people to speak out against the ills in this country.

The week’s events culminated with Teachers’ Day on Friday.

Teachers from schools all across the Islands got the day off to dine and be pampered on their staff excursions.

24 NEWS

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

The Junkanoo kids who were set up outside Bugaloo’s last Friday night strike a pose for the Weekly News

March 22 - 28, 2014

Thirteen-year old Cartier Smith (right) and friends having fun playing their drums

Junkanoo kids: “We are doing it for the community” ELEVEN kids, four drums, several gourd rattlers (shak-shaks), a harmonica, impressive dance moves, and the music produced by almost two dozen little hands were the side thrill of the night last Friday (March 14) in Five Cays, Providenciales.

With an exuberance, talent and camaraderie that were so infectious one could not help but smile at them, the little musicians and dancers were strategically positioned outside of Bugaloo’s

Conch Crawl waiting to waylay any unsuspecting passersby with the lure of Junkanoo.

Beating their drums, shaking their gourds and dancing even more passionately as the Weekly News approached, the group was clearly having as much pleasure performing as they intended to convey to observers.

However, when the drums and other instruments were silent, attempts to get them to open up were

met with blushes, hidden faces and a few boyish snickers muffled behind hands.

Nevertheless, with perseverance a few of them agreed to talk; and what they had to say, for such young children, was nothing short of inspiring.

One boy said: “We are doing it for the community. I love doing it because the community loves it.”

Another enthused: “I like doing it because it’s fun.”

The oldest in the group, a 14year old boy, after a minute’s consideration, said: “Junkanoo inspires me, it keeps me out of trouble and it’s fun. It’s perfect for every little child to do.”

Another boy aged 13, smilingly revealed: “I am doing it so younger children can learn, and I enjoy it.”

The seemingly shyest one in the group was 13-year-old Cartier Smith, who was beating on his drum like a kid possessed with the love of

Junkanoo.

The handsome, dreadlocked teen said he loved to play because he too finds it fun and it keeps him out of trouble.

Smith said: “My dad likes it for me because he likes how the music sounds and the tourists like it.

“And when they go back home they tell their families about the Junkanoo in Turks and Caicos Islands and they will want to come too.” (DI)

March 22 - 28, 2014

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

NEWS 25

Marjorie Basden receives $5,000 from Governor’s Office THE MARJORIE Basden High School received a donation of $5,000 from the Governor’s Office to assist with musical instruments this week.

The donation was made to the school in South Caicos by Governor Peter Beckingham and his wife Jill on Tuesday (March 18).

Items that will be bought from these funds range from a sound system to an electric bass guitar.

The Governor said that having worked in the music industry

before joining the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) he very much understands the value that music brings into people’s lives - from the joy of expressing yourself, to providing a livelihood for your family.

“When Jill and I visited South Caicos previously, we were privileged to be given a wonderful recital by the students at Marjorie Basden School,” he said.

“So if this donation in some small way helps them to scale even greater

Governor Beckingham and his wife Jill realise the importance of music

creative heights then I am glad that the Governor’s Office has been able to assist.”

Throughout the course of the year the Government has collaborated in other beneficial projects that affect

the Turks and Caicos Islands.

These include a $2,000 donation to the TCI National Youth Empowerment Survey that will be carried out by the Ministry of Health, a $7,500 to the Grand Turk

Community College to assist with computers, a $5,000 towards a Canadian charity that will supply wheelchairs for people in need in the TCI and $8,300 to the Human Rights Commission for an open day. (DH)

26

Entertainment

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

March 22 - 28, 2014

Brown to stay in jail until April after rehab arrest A JUDGE has ordered Chris Brown to stay in jail until a hearing on 23 April following his arrest at a California rehab centre on Saturday.

The stint behind bars will be his longest and is more than five years after he attacked Rihanna.

Reasons for the singer’s dismissal from the Malibu facility were detailed in court on Monday.

Superior Court Judge James R. Brandlin said he was troubled by a comment Brown made during a group therapy session.

“I am good at using guns and knives,” the rehab centre reported Brown had said in response to an exercise asking him to reflect on what he was good at or excelled at.

Rehab workers also said the singer ignored a worker who was waiting to give him a drug test and that he rubbed elbows with a woman when he had signed an agreement to stay at least two feet away from all female clients.

Outside court Brown’s lawyer, Mark Geragos, said the singer had a bad day at the facility and added he didn’t think his client should be forced to stay behind

Vybes Kartel and three other co-accused were last Thursday found guilty of the 2001 murder of Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams.

Juror who tried to buy Vybz Kartel’s freedom will return to court The stint behind bars will be Chris Brown’s longest and is more than five years after he attacked Rihanna.

bars for another month.

Geragos said he planned to petition to have Brown released before the hearing in April.

Police officials in California said Brown co-operated with officers when he was arrested at the Malibu treatment facility.

The singer had been ordered to remain there for anger management treatment.

In November, Brown was sentenced to three months of inpatient rehab.

That was recommended by

probation officers overseeing him after he was punished for the attack on then-girlfriend Rihanna before the 2009 Grammy Awards.

A letter from the facility in January stated that the singer was also being treated for bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and past substance abuse.

The probation for the Rihanna assault had been scheduled to end this year, but a judge revoked it last year after he was arrested on an assault charge in Washington DC. That case is still pending.

A 50-year-old man will return to court on March 28 when the case against him for attempting to bribe fellow jurors in the just concluded trial of popular entertainer, Vybz Kartel (Adidja Palmer) is expected to continue.

The court was told Tuesday that Livingston Cain the only person in the 11-member jury to have voted against a guilty verdict in the trial had even offered his fellow jurors as much as half a million dollars (One Jamaica dollar = US$0.001 cents) to have Kartel acquitted of the crime.

The singer and three other coaccused were last Thursday found

guilty of the 2001 murder of Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams.

Cain made his first appearance in court on Tuesday to answer five counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice and one count of conspiring with persons unknown to pervert the course of justice. Cain, who was arrested after the Kartel case was finished, has denied the allegations.

He was offered bail in the sum of J$750,000 and warned not to make any efforts to contact any member of the Kartel jury. He is also report to the police daily and a stop order has been placed on him at the ports.

Lohan’s famous lovers list expands to include Kutcher and Bloom among others LINDSAY Lohan’s alleged past lovers list is getting juicer.

Last week, a piece of paper with 36 of the starlet’s reported past celebrity trysts on it was released by In Touch Weekly, and now the mag has revealed more of her Hollywood conquests including the newly engaged Ashton Kutcher, Ryan Phillippe and Orlando Bloom.

Lohan even nicknamed Bloom “Orli” in the updated version.

The high profile actors’ names were originally blurred out when the photo of the list, allegedly penned by the 27-year-old actress, was first exposed Benicio Del Toro, Stavros Niarchos, hockey player Aaron Voros and model Petey Wright were also among the freshly released names.

The first roundup shockingly included Justin Timberlake, Adam Levine, Zac Efron, Joaquin Phoenix, Jamie Dornan, Heath Ledger, Colin Farrell, James Franco and more.\ According to the magazine’s source, Lohan jotted down her flings while at the Beverly Hills Hotel with friends on Jan. 30.

“It was her personal conquest list,”

The first Ghostbusters was a big hit in 1984.

Ivan Reitman will not direct ‘Ghostbusters 3’

More names allegedly written by Lindsay Lohan of her personal conquests has been released.

the source, who reportedly watched Lohan write it, told In Touch.

“She was trying to impress her friends with the list and then tossed it aside.”

“They were giggling and talking s--t about people in the industry.”

“The list has some pretty big names on it, and they’re not all single

guys,” an industry insider told last week’s issue of In Touch.

“This getting out now could rock several Hollywood relationships to the core.”

Out of all the heartthrobs listed, most are either now married or involved in serious relationships.

(NYdailynews)

IVAN Reitman has decided that he will not return to direct the next installment of “Ghostbusters,” EW has confirmed.

After producing and directing the previous two films and staying with the third project for years, Reitman will produce and help Sony find a new director for the film, which is eyeing an early 2015 shoot in New York.

Deadline first reported the news.

Reitman told Deadline that his decision to step down from the director’s post was in part due to the death of Harold Ramis. He said: “A lot of things happened in the last few months, the most significant

of which was the passing of Harold, who was a very good friend who was extraordinarily influential in my career. We did five movies together including both Ghostbusters.”

He also confirmed that script hold ups over the years were partially due to trouble contacting Bill Murray. They eventually started over without a role for Murray, and, Reitman said, they have a draft from Etan Cohen, with some assistance from Dan Aykroyd, that they are happy with. The original cast members are incorporated in a very minor way. (EW.com)

March 22 - 28, 2014

Entertainment

27

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

L’Wren Scott death ruled suicide by NYC authorities Kanye West was also arrested in 2008 following a separate altercation with photographers at Los Angeles International Airport.

West gets two-year probation in assault case RAPPER Kanye West has pleaded no contest and been sentenced to two years probation for assaulting a photographer at Los Angeles International Airport.

He must also attend 24 anger management sessions and complete 250 hours of community service for the misdemeanor battery last July.

Paparazzo Daniel Ramos accuses the rapper of punching him and grabbing his camera in an unprovoked attack.

The 36-year-old rapper maintains his innocence.

The plea cannot be used

against him in a civil lawsuit brought against him by Ramos, reports the Associated Press news agency.

The photographer alleges he still takes medication for injuries from the attack.

“I was doing my job and he broke the law,” Ramos told US media. “If I did what he did to me, I’d be behind bars.”

Ramos also alleged he was fearful of retaliation after comments by West on a TV show in October.

“It’s not safe for you in this zoo,” West told host Jimmy Kimmel when asked about paparazzi.

THE death of fashion designer L’Wren Scott has been ruled suicide by hanging, New York City authorities say.

The cause of death was announced by the office of the medical examiner after Scott’s body was discovered in her flat by her assistant on Monday.

Police earlier said there was no sign of foul play and no note was found.

Scott’s long-term boyfriend, Sir Mick Jagger, postponed forthcoming Rolling Stones tour dates in Australia and New Zealand after her death was announced.

Sir Mick earlier said he failed “to understand how my lover and best friend could end her life in this tragic way”.

He said they had spent “many wonderful years together”.

On Wednesday, Jagger’s bandmates also expressed their shock at the news of Scott’s death.

Drummer Charlie Watts said supporting Jagger was the band’s priority.

“Needless to say we are all completely shocked but our first thought is to support Mick at this awful time,” he said.

“We intend to come back to Australia and New Zealand as soon as it proves possible.”

Keith Richards said “no-one saw

L’Wren Scott and Sir Mick Jagger were together for 13 years.

this coming” and that Jagger had “always been my soul brother and we love him”.

“We’re thick as thieves and we’re all feeling for the man,” he added.

Ronnie Wood said: “This is such terrible news and right now the important thing is that we are all pulling together to offer Mick our support and help him through this sad time.

“Without a doubt we intend to be back out on that stage as soon as we can.”

Tributes have poured in for Scott, 49, with fans including supermodel Naomi Campbell, Vogue editor Anna Wintour and singer Madonna

eulogising the fashion designer.

Wintour described Scott as “a total perfectionist... always unbelievably generous, gracious, kind and so much fun.”

Scott was found in her Manhattan apartment by her assistant at 10:00 local time (14:00 GMT) on Monday.

She had sent her assistant a text message 90 minutes earlier asking her to come to the apartment, without specifying the reason why, the Associated Press news agency reported.

It has since emerged that the fashion label founded by Scott had been heavily in debt. (BBC)

Boston Marathon bombing amputee dances again with help from MIT engineer

Kevin Spacey was at the Academy awards earlier this month - and appeared in the Oscars selfie.

Spacey to star in one-man show at Old Vic theatre US actor Kevin Spacey is to star in a one-man show at London’s Old Vic to mark 10 years as artistic director of the institution.

The Oscar winner, who is due to step down from his role next year, will star in Clarence Darrow, a play about a pioneering 19th Century lawyer.

The 54-year-old said he was “thrilled” to be returning to the stage of the “very special theatre”.

Preview performances of the onehander will start on 28 May.

The production will be directed

by Thea Sharrock, who took charge of the Christmas edition of BBC One drama Call The Midwife.

Spacey has called her “one of the most exciting directors of her generation”.

The actor played the character on stage 22 years ago and in a film for US broadcaster PBS. He has also appeared in numerous Old Vic productions in the past including the title role in Richard III, directed by Sam Mendes.

WITH one powerful step she went from a victim to a survivor.

For the first time since Adrianne Haslet-Davis lost part of her leg in last year’s Boston Marathon bombing the resilient dancer has taken to the stage and danced again.

The once professional ballroom dancer performed a rumba at Wednesday’s TED Conference in Vancouver while wearing a prosthetic leg specially made for her

by MIT’s Media Lab. “I was always determined to dance again, and I knew that I had to, that I would, and here I am,” the 33-year-old said in a statement.

“My first dance happening to be so near the anniversary of the marathon bombing stands as a reminder that I’m a survivor, not a victim.”

The gift will provide a new life for Haslet-Davis, who has spent nearly every minute yearning to dance again since the April 15 attack. Hugh Herr, director of the Biomechatronics Group at the MIT Media Lab, helped develop the prosthetic.

Like Haslet-Davis, Herr is a double amputee who lost his limbs in a climbing accident in 1982. After

The 33-year-old performed a rumba while wearing a prosthetic leg made for her by MIT’s Media Lab.

meeting her in a Boston rehabilitation hospital, he set out to help.

“I thought, ‘Well gosh, I’m an MIT professor, why not build her a bionic limb to allow her to dance?’” he recalled to WBUR. “So I put together MIT scientists with expertise in prosthetics, robotics, machine-learning, bio-mechanics,

and off we went.”

For 200 days, Herr’s lab studied the dynamics of dance. Whatever they learned, they incorporated in the design of a limb for her.

“In 3.5 seconds, the criminals and cowards took Adrianne off the dance floor,” he said Wednesday. “In 200 days, we put her back.”

28

Job Listings Services Auto sales real estate

Classifieds TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

March 22 - 28, 2014

946-4664 Fax: 946-4661

Email: tcnews@tciway.tc

Website: tcweeklynews.com

FLOWER GIRL

Is looking for a Part-time

FOR RENT

delivery driver

contact: 946-4664

Contact: 231-3788

3-bedroom apartment $1100.00 per month it will be available May 1st.

With own transportation who is interested in making extra cash.

FOR SALE

FOR RENT

3-bedroom apartment $1100.00 per month it will be available May 1st.

contact: 946-4664

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

March 22 - 28, 2014

CLASSIFIEDS 29

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

PRICED FOR Amazing Value!

QUICK SALE Lot for Sale

Beautiful hillside, water front lot in Paw Paw Joe, North Caicos South

In Gated/Planned Community in Long Bay. Flamingo Crossing lot comes with full set of House Plans, all underground utilities, etc.

$50,000

$49,999 o.b.o.

Call 231-3788

(or nearest offer) Also additional seven acres plus in Kerr Mount (inland) contact Veronica at 1-242-327-8011 or 1-649-232-3508, (242) 676-3592

PRICE SLASHED FOR QUICK SALE

$180,000 CASH! House and ½ Acre land Richmond Hill 1 Bedroom, 1 Bath Fully furnished

Call: 231-3788

A Dynamic Mobile Service provider seeks to recruit for the following post:

FINANCE MANAGER – Permanent

Reporting to the Financial Controller, you will manage the Finance team ensuring all work is performed in line with Digicel policies and procedures.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

• Management of Finance team including accounts payable and accounts receivable • Preparation and presentation of detailed financial analysis supporting commercial strategy • Ensure all balance sheet reconciliations are performed on a timely basis • Active control of month end process • Application of IFRS and review of Financial Statements • Analysis of monthly management accounts versus budget • Planning and support of quarterly reviews and quarterly audit requirements • Identifying, designing and implementing process improvements • Liase with Auditors, Bankers, Statutory Authorities, Dealers and Site lessors.

• Budgeting, Financial planning and Financial Analysis

Academic Qualifications & Functional Skills • • • • • • • •

ACA/ACCA/CPA qualification with IFRS experience At least 6 years accounting experience with at least 3 years PQE Telecommunications experience a distinct advantage Experience in dealing with auditors, both internal and external Experience in reporting, balance sheet analysis and budgeting/financial planning Experience in a dynamic fast-paced multinational environment desirable Excellent communication skills Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, experience in Microsoft Dynamics GP, and Business Objects essential • Flexible and adaptable to an ever changing set of responsibilities, constrained by tight deadlines

Only Belongers need apply – Salary Based on Experience

Interested applicants should forward their resume to hrtci@digicelgroup.com

30 CLASSIFIEDS

March 22 - 28, 2014

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

SHINING STARS PREPARATORY SCHOOL

TCI AUTOGROUP

Applicants are invited from suitable qualified persons to fill the following positions for January 2014.

FINANCIAL CONTROLLER

DOMESTIC WORKER LABOURER PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS • Applicants must be qualified for the position for which they are applying (Bachelor’s Degree in the case of teachers) • Must also have a loving, caring and cooperative attitude • Applications, along with two (2) references and proof of qualifications must be sent in writing to: THE PRINCIPAL SHINING STAR PREPARATORY SCHOOL 11 ACADEMY AVE, DOWNTOWN PROVIDENCIALES Deadline no later than December 15th, 2013 Salary commensurate with qualifications and experience

9415

Qualifications: • Degree in Finance, Commerce or Accounting (or equivalent) • CPA or CA or equivalent • Excellent written, verbal and communication skills • Previous experience in Automotive Dealership and Retail F&I preferred

Duties and Responsibilities: • Preparation of financial statement and in-

house reports • Bank A/R and A/P Reconciliations, bank deposits, petty cash management • Inventory control, costing and pricing • Daily input of transaction to account software • Purchase and building audits • Must have verifiable reference with a minimum of 5 years experience Salary is commensurate with experience

Candidates can hand deliver a detailed resume CV at the reception desk at Bayview Motors during office hours Monday- Friday 8am-5pm Saturday 9am-1pm Only qualified candidates will be contacted for an interview

VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY!!

the largest readership in the turks & caicos Milano Diamond Gallery is interested in hiring persons to fill the position of

Supervisor and Sales Manager

Candidates should have as a minimum qualification: Over 5yrs Supervisory or Management Experience in the jewelry industry, Certificates in Gemology, and be excellent in English, while proficiency in any other language would be considered a plus. All candidates must be willing to work with an irregular cruise ship schedule. Only applicants selected for an interview will be notified.

Applications can be obtained from and submitted to Milano Diamond Gallery, Grand Turk Cruise Center 946-2276

Managing Director If banking is your expertise and you possess dynamic leadership, strategic thinking and results focused abilities, then consider this executive opportunity with Scotiabank (Turks and Caicos) Ltd. Key accountabilities include: • Being innovative by developing and implementing marketing strategies to ensure profitability of current and new business opportunities in retail/commercial/ corporate lending.

• Establishing and maintaining excellence in relationships with senior government officials and company executives.

• Maximizing profitability by effectively controlling branch operations/ expenditures.

• Leading by example a customer driven sales culture and ensuring delivery of excellent customer service.

• Effectively managing and control the loan portfolios at an acceptable level of risk.

• Overseeing the effective management of the Bank’s human resources capital, eg, recruitment, compensation, performance, employee relations and training.

• Ensuring that national and international compliance laws/requirements are implemented and sustained.

Essential criteria needed for this role includes: • Minimum of 15 years experience with an International Bank with expert knowledge of commercial, retail and corporate policies, procedures and products.

• Proven ability and experience to analyse complex financial transactions.

• A solid track record in managing credit portfolio and negotiating with influential customers in a highly competitive environment.

• Strong negotiation and problem resolution skills in connection with problem loan management.

• Highly polished written and verbal communication skills.

• Excellent leadership abilities to multi-task, organize and motivate teams to achieving overall success.

• Strong marketing skills to develop/change strategies to meet and surpass business expectations.

• Sound knowledge of the rules and regulations imposed by FSC as well as local legislation and the ability to interpret these laws.

Positions Available A beachfront Estate on Providenciales is inviting applications for the following positions:

Sommelier

Knowledge and Skills: Must have extensive knowledge of fine wines and will be required to assist the Chef.

Requirements: Prior work experience in luxury villas; possess a clean driver’s license and will be required to live on property. Salary range is: $12000.00 per annum.

If this opportunity sounds challenging and exciting, we invite you to forward your resume/application to us. Scotiabank offers an attractive salary/benefits package and opportunities for personal and professional growth.

Live in Housekeeper

Please submit applications no later than March 28, 2014 to:

The applicant must have prior experience as a Housekeeper and will be required to live on property. Salary payable is: $12,000.00 per annum

Lynette Grant-Higgs –Manager Human Resources Scotiabank (Turks and Caicos) Ltd Providenciales, TCI E-mail: lynette.grant-higgs@scotiabank.com

LaboUrer Salary $6.00 per hour

Submit applications by April 15th, 2014 to: Misick & Stanbrook, Leeward Highway Providenciales, Tel: 946-4732 Fax 946-4734 Email info@misickstanbrook.tc

9394

VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY!!

9403

the largest readership in the turks & caicos

9283

BAY BISTRO

2 laboUrers 1 Carpenter – $6.00 per hour

Must be willing to work 5 days per week.

contact: 2427417 or 347-9039 9280

Call 242-3858

GENERAL MANAGER Bayview Motors is in need of filling the position of a General Manager Successful applicants must possess the following qualifications: • Previous experience in managing a similar sized automotive dealership • Must be familiar with all facets of the management of an automotive dealership • Experience in managing a busy automotive service department • Experience with collision estimation • Experience in automotive sales, including vehicle purchasing, and manufacture pricing negotiation • General knowledge of automotive mechanics a definite asset • Excellent communication, writing and computer skills Starting salary approximately $50K/year, but commensurate with experience

Please send resume via email: syrmondg@bayviewmotors.com Those applicants with required qualification will contacted for interview BELONGER ONLY NEED APPLY 9288

REQUIRED AT NORTH CAICOS

EXPERIENCED AUTO MECHANIC Experienced auto mechanic required for full time work at, North Caicos. Must have at least 10 years’ experience with heavy equipment and must be willing to work six days a week. A demonstrated ability to work unsupervised with excellent communication skills is essential for the position. Salary is $350.00 per week. Please apply no later than 1st April, 2014 at handmy@tciway.tc or contact on telephone No. 232 7101.

Belongers only need apply.

VACANCIES DOLPHINS SPORTS BAR

KPW CONSTRUCTION

– $5.00 per hour

Mason Carpenter

Salary negotiable

KEW TOWN BAR

Domestic Worker Mixologist

CARIBBEAN CAFÉ

Waitress

– $5.00 per hour

Salary negotiable

Bartender Waitress

Salary negotiable

Contact: 332-6364

NEEDED

Kitchen Helper

Waitress

contact: 946-5396

contact: 946-5396

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

–$10.00 per hour

SLOT TECH MANAGER

• 10-15 years experience • Must have a Game Master

9276

C & J EMPLOYMENT

Acting on behalf of our clients: Carrington Williams and C & J Variety Store is looking to fill the following positions:

Acting on behalf of our clients: Discount Auto Parts & Tires, ERB Construction, Williams construction, Provo Repair Cabinet, Road Side Quality, Sweet T’s Restaurant, Chicken Shack

To provide housekeeping services this includes: preparing and serving meals, laundering Must have previous domestic work experience salary $14,000.00 per annum. Submit application with detailed resume to: Brigget Jolly, Leeward Palms, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands or telephone: 231-8891 no later than May 5th, 2014

CALASCO Is looking for 2

Tiremen

– $5.00 per hour

laboUrers To work 6 days

Domestic Workers

Domestic worker

Cashier

– $5.00 per hour

Masons

– $7-$10 per hour Kitchen Helpers – $5.00 per hour

Salary $5.00 per hour.

Sales Clerks

per week salary $6.00 per hour.

contact: 1-649-347-6642

Contact: 649-347-2093

contact: 231-1489

9390

Is looking for experienced persons ONLY to fill the following positions:

• Manage and direct the Surveillance Department • Knowledge of all table games • Must have 10 years experience Salary $18.75 per hour

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

C & J CONSULTANT

CASABLANCA CASINO SURVEILLANCE OPERATION MANGER

WORKER

– $5.00 per hour Experience required

CHESNEY M. RIGBY Is looking for a

9282

Dwayne Simons

Certificate Salary $18.75 per hour

2 DEALERS

• Minimum of 2 table games dealt Salary $12.5

MAINTENANCE WORKER • To perform general maintenance and repairs of facilities equipment Salary $12.00 per hour

Contact: Ms. Ingraham at 649-244-4665 or drop off resume at Casablanca Casino 9397

Y.A.3.B CONSULTANCY acting on behalf of our client Bath and Body Works Plus

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

Labourer Salary $5.00 per Hour. Days 4 Days

contact: 241-3174

Contact # 649-244-2802

ZARVARDO OUTTEN

LYTE CONVENIENCE

9389

is looking for a

9406

Is looking for a

is looking for a

cosmetologist $6.00 per hour contact: 341-4540

domestic

cashier worker to work 6 days to work 5 days per week salary $5.50 per hour. contact: 245-4360

9375

per week salary $5.50 per hour.

contact: 243-2984

9278

cleaner

Must be willing to work from 8am-10am from MondaySaturday including holidays Salary $5.00 per hour raise will be based on experience Female will be preferred.

DOMESTIC

is looking for a

9279

is seeking to fill the position of

BAY BISTRO

is looking for a

is looking for the following persons:

9395

ATLANTIC CONSTRUCTION

9275

JOB OPPORTUNITY A & W WHOLESALE SUPERMARKET

CLASSIFIEDS 31

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

9286

March 22 - 28, 2014

32 CLASSIFIEDS

March 22 - 28, 2014

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

REQUIRED FOR ACADEMIC YEAR 2014-2015

GRADUATE TEACHERS

GRACE BAY TOTS

ISLAND VILLA MANAGEMENT

is looking for a

is looking for a

MERCEDES BEAUTY SALON Is looking for a

to teach all relevant subjects at IGCSE and Advanced Level.

Suitable candidates must have a Bachelor's Degree and teaching qualifications, a minimum of five (5) years experience teaching the British National Curriculum and CIE Examination syllabi.

Salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience.

CV, letter of application and names of 2 referees to be sent in writing to:

per week salary $5.00 per hour.

The Principal, British West Indies Collegiate PO Box 338, Providenciales or Email: bwicprincipal@tciway.tc Suitable candidates will be called for interview.

PORTS OF CALL RESORT is looking for a

houseman To work 6 days per week salary $5.50 per hour.

contact: 946-8888

9545

PABLO BARBER & BEAUTY SALON Is looking for the following persons:

Barber Hairdresser

Salary $150.00 per week. contact: 247-0187 9265

babysitter Housemen hairdresser To work 4 days To work 6 days To work 6 days contact: 242-1866

ROXY BEAUTY SALON

per week salary $6.50 per hour.

9551

DERRY HANDFIELD NORTH CAICOS is looking for a

Is looking to fill the following positions:

1 Barber

1 Cosmetologist To work 6 days per week salary $6.00 per hour.

contact: 241-2962

labourer To work 5 days per week. Salary $5.50 per hour.

Contact: 241-4371

contact: 946-4445

9559

per week salary $5.00 per hour. contact: 346-9905

DA CONCH SHACK

1 Kitchen Helper • Minimum 5 years experience • Working in a kitchen as a Line cook in a VERY high volume Restaurant.

• Must have knowledge of taking inventory daily.

• Pay rate is $5/hr

Please submit Resumes at the restaurant at 499 Bay Rd. Blue Hills, Providenciales TCI Phone: (649)-946-8877

9560

VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY!! the largest readership in the turks & caicos

TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS GOVERNMENT

GRADUATE ARCHITECT REQUIRED To assist with preparation of construction documents, drawings and specification with focus on the Design, Construction Management and supervision in the single family residential market in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Successful applicant will possess a comprehensive understanding of building science and architectural design with good communication skills and team attitude and must be a Graduate Architect with minimum 5 years experience in the industry A knowledge of Jandy Caretaker in-floor pool cleaning system and Pentair Prologic Control system would be a great asset.

Computer literacy shall include: • AutoCAD Architectural Desktop and 3d imaging • critical path scheduling software (preferable Primavera’s Suretalk) • QuickBooks Accounting System • Adobe Photoshop • Sage Master Builder • On Screen Takeoff • Word Processing • Spreadsheet application

Interested individuals shall submit resume to: R.A. Shaw Designs Project House, Leeward Highway Providenciales, 941-4394

VACANCIES The following vacancies currently exist within the Turks and Caicos Islands Public Service:

Complaints Commission Administrative Officer – Grand Turk (Deadline: March 26, 2014)

Director of Estates

– Grand Turk (Deadline: March 26, 2014)

National Audit Office Administrative Secretary – Grand Turk (Deadline: March 19, 2014)

Bailiff/Clerk of Courts

– Grand Turk (Deadline: March 18, 2014)

Director of Information Technology – Grand Turk (Deadline: March 20, 2014)

Land Use Planner

– Providenciales (Deadline: March 19, 2014)

Superintendent of Prisons – Grand Turk (Deadline: March 17, 2014)

Assistant Development Control Engineer – Providenciales (Deadline: March 19, 2014)

9549

9561

Interested persons are asked to visit www.gov.tc for job details and the application procedure.

9558

March 22 - 28, 2014

CLASSIFIEDS 33

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

CASABLANCA CASINO Is looking for a

Labourer To work 6 days per week salary $7.00 per hour

contact: 244-4665 Monday-Friday 9am-4pm

HOUSEKEEPER

NEEDED

Professional couple seeks a reliable, experienced cleaner. Job includes ironing and laundry.

MUST SPEAK ENGLISH $7per hour - 1 DAY A WEEK Email: housekeeperprovo@yahoo.co.uk

9507

JOB ADVERTISEMENT Gansevoort Turks + Caicos is a contemporary luxury full service boutique resort on Grace Bay Beach. We are looking for driven and energetic professionals with Five Star experience and who are committed to achieving excellence by ensuring Five Star standards and services are continuously delivered.

SALES!!!

Due to change of season we are selling lots of items at discount prices. Towels, curtains, bathroom sets, bathroom coordinates, napkins, cups and glasses, canisters, mixing bowls, serving trays and much more for your house.

DUNCANSON & CO. Barristers & Attorneys

Chief Engineer PUBLIC NOTICE

Responsible for all aspects of the maintenance of the Resort. Manages the resort’s maintenance and engineering operations including guest rooms, building structures, front and back of house facilities, all mechanical, electrical, water treatment and HVAC systems, refrigeration and any related equipment in accordance with Standard Operating Procedures.

Works closely with leadership to develop and execute an operating strategy that aligns with business strategy. Manages controllable expenses through the implementation of cost saving and energy conservation programs (e.g., wages, heat, light and power, water consumption, tools and equipment, grounds keeping supplies, uniforms, vendors, service agreements, inventory, etc.). Monitors and maintains fire, health and safety systems and collaborates with relevant fire, emergency and governmental agencies to ensure complete understanding of regulations, procedures, alarms, and equipment. Collaborates with vendors/contractors and monitors work product to ensure quality standards are consistent with the requirements of a luxury resort. Develops, implements and manages emergency and disaster management programs. Assists with developing Strata budget and managing Strata Costs, Manages accurate and timely bill back process for Condo units. Manages pool chemical balance and maintenance of all pool equipment. Maintains FFE. Maintains security cameras and lighting systems. Develops, executes and monitors preventative maintenance and asset protection programs. Exercises general supervision over the engineering team and communicates a clear and concise vision regarding department goals to produce desired results. Liaises with department heads to understand challenges and ensure maintenance needs are addressed.

Proactively addresses problems and quickly identifies and implements solutions. Keeps owners and executives informed, and provides timely response to queries from the same.

Mentors and trains engineering staff; establishes performance guidelines; and evaluates staff performance in accordance with resort policies. Complies with departmental standard operating procedures, Resort policies and TCIG health and safety regulations

DUNCANSON & CO. Barristers & Attorneys are pleased to announce the re-opening of our Leeward Highway Office for ongoing legal services to the public. We are located in our own building across the street from the Supreme Court complex, next door to the offices of TC Weekly News and between that and the St. Monica's Anglican Church.

We specialize in: • Civil Litigation (Particular competencies: Judicial Review and other claims against TCI Government/Departments, Mareva and other Injunctions, Land, Trust & Bank disputes) • Property Matters, Planning Department & Development Issues • Business Law • Immigration • Labour Disputes Telephone: (649) 941-4444 Telefax: (649) 941-4235 Cellphone: (649) 245-1314 email: berynd@yahoo.com

Skills/Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily • Minimum 5 years’ experience as Chief Engineer for a luxury property, preferably in the Caribbean • Degree in Engineering or related field with a minimum of 10 years’ experience in a luxury resort environment, or equivalent combination of experience and education • Strong leadership skills with the ability to recruit, train, develop skills, mentor and motivate a team • Thorough knowledge of resort engineering procedures, operations and equipment, with the ability to execute all aspects • Thorough knowledge of building codes, fire safety systems, plumbing and electrical systems, mechanical and HVAC, and carpentry disciplines • Strong communication and interpersonal skills; ability to speak, read and write fluently in the English language • Computer proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook

DUNCANSON & CO. Barristers & Attorneys

PO Box 52, Cheshire House East 1315A Leeward Highway, Providenciales

VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY!!

Interested applicants can contact our Human Resources Department, Monday through Friday 9am to 5pm on (649)941-7555. E- Mail cover letter outlining your interest and supporting experience in a particular position along with your Resume or C.V. to hr@wymara.com

9262

the largest readership in the turks & caicos

34 CLASSIFIEDS

March 22 - 28, 2014

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

C & J CONSULTANCY

Karam & Missick

Acting on behalf of our client House of Miracle Apostolic Church

Paralegal/ Legal Secretary

With a Bachelor’s Degree in Law (with minimum Upper Second Class Honours) from a reputable institution. The successful candidate must: 1. Have at least three (3) years of experience in assisting attorneys with legal research, be able to draft court documents and assist in case preparation for civil, employment and probate matters; 2. Have experience in mortgaging and conveyancing matters; 3. Have good organizational and communication skills and able to work with little supervision; and 4. Be able to attend court hearings and accurately record and prepare notes.

All interested persons may send their resumes by email on or before Monday March 31, 2014 to info@karammissick.com.

Please, no calls or office visits.

9267

The Law Firm of STANFIELD GREENE is seeking one (1) suitably qualified

Is seeking suitable candidates for the following position:

PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS

is looking for a

Pastor Salary $500.00 contact: 347-6642

9272

is looking for a Qualified

BETHANY’S EDUCATIONAL & SOCIAL TRAINING (B.E.S.T. ) INSTITUTE

TIKI HUT

• Applicant should possess a trained Teacher’s Diploma or Certificate with 5 or more years experience in the classroom • Applicants with first degree beside their Teacher’s Diploma Certificate will have an advantage • Applicant must be energetic and creative and a good team player • All applicants should be a born again Christian preferable of the Baptist faith

Application can be dropped off at B.E.S.T. INSTITUE OFFICE, 250 Bay Road, Blue Hills, Providenciales or email: bestinstitute@tciway.tc or telephone: 649-941-4802 9270

BETHANY’S EDUCATIONAL & SOCIAL TRAINING (B.E.S.T. ) INSTITUTE

is looking for a

is seeking a suitable candidates for the following positions:

STANFIELD GREENE, PO Box 481, Graceway House, Building A, Suite 201, Leeward Highway, Providenciales Turks and Caicos Islands

Belongers only need apply.

Only those Applicants that will be interviewed will be contacted.

9263

PRICE SLASHED $175,000

To work 6 days per week salary $5.50 per hour.

contact: 941-5341

ATTENTION: Clayton S. Greene Email: csg@stanfieldgreene.com

The individual should meet the following requirements: • Possess a valid food handler’s permit • A born again Christian preferable of the Baptist faith • The ability to read and write English • Must be able to assist in the preparation of healthy meals on a daily basis for over 100 students • Be able to manage the stock and prepare orders, handle cash effectively to ensure all checks and balances

Application can be drop off at B.E.S.T. Institute Office, 250 Bay Road, Blue Hills, Providenciales or email: bestinstitute@tciway.tc, or telephone: 649-941-4802

MERMAID WANTED

LOTIE HARVEY Is looking for a

Caicos Tours is looking for a freediving tour guide to entertain and care for guest, both above and below water Candidates will need a good understanding of Reef Ecology, Certifications in freediving, SCUBA, First Aid, a current STCW 95, and a good knowledge of makeup. An extremely professional working attitude and the ability to communicate easily with guests of all ages is essential.

The working week is Monday-Saturday including bank holidays, hours are from 8:30am until the boat is cleaned after the last tour of the day. Additional hours may be required on occasion

laboUrer to do landscaping must be willing to work 5 days per week salary $5.00 per hour.

Please contact: Caicos Tours at 231-0007 for further information Belongers only need apply

9385

contact: 241-9730

TCMillwork ltd.

Architectural woodworking, Cabinetry and Design South dock road, P.O. box 238, Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands

Furniture Carpenter Skills Required: • 5 years work experience in woodworking, joinery and cabinet making.

• Trained to manufacture and finish furniture .

Salary at $8.00 per hour Skills required for position: • Individual must have previous experience with manufacture, construction, and installation of high end cabinetry.

• Must be familiar with operation of all current

woodworking machinery and tools with proper safety practices.

• Must be able to read Auto-Cad drawings.

• English speaking, bilingual preferred.

Duties: Manufacture and finish furniture and cabinets, refinishing, and installation. Assist other employees in general millshop operations and maintenance. Must be professional and courteous.

Please send applications to: tcmillwork@tciway.tc contact person: Stephan 231-4537

9268

Applicants should apply by sending their resume or CV to:

Waiter DOMESTIC WORKER Captain 9550

The successful candidate will be responsible for the firm’s civil and criminal litigation.

Applicants should have at least 10 years experience with emphasis in the field of litigation, should possess good writing skills and have an eye for details.

Salary is negotiable and based on experience.

March 22 - 28, 2014

CLASSIFIEDS 35

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

LATINO CONSTRUCTION Is looking for an

electrician

To work 6 days per week salary $9.00 per hour.

9287

contact: 332-0771

GARDENER

NEEDED

Must be willing to work 6 days per week salary $6.00 per hour Submit applications

by April 15th, 2014 to: Misick & Stanbrook Leeward Highway Providenciales Tel: 946-4732 Fax 946-4734 Email info@misickstanbrook.tc

9403

SHAWN INGHAM is looking for a

Labourer to work 6 days per week salary $5.50 per hour. contact: 347-5193

9407

SHERMAN ED CLARK Is looking for a

Domestic Worker

To work 5 days per week salary $5.00.

contact: 232-0019

9277

Career Opportunities Grace Bay Club is looking for candidates that have the requirements listed along with an outgoing professional manner. They love to work with different types of people, meet challenges with a positive attitude and live the standards of our organization. Their management style is one that balances a commitment to people and their development with business/financial accountability and delivers an exceptional guest experience

Front Office Manager

Job Requirements: • Manage the front desk operation, including guest registration, room assignment, billing and check-out procedures.

• Oversea the activities and monitor the daily performance of the front office staff.

• Prepare and administrate the departmental budget for the front office.

• Handle guest complaints and ensure that all guests’ issues are resolved.

• Partner with operational departments to ensure execution of special requests.

• Ensure bank and cash handling procedures are maintained.

• Monitor all front office support systems to ensure maximum productivity.

• Perform other duties as assigned.

JOB QUALIFICATIONS: • Education: Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality, Business or equivalent experience required.

• Experience: Minimum of five years hotel experience in front office or front services operations with a minimum of three years management experience required.

Experience in a hotel with a Diamond Rating of 4 or 5 Star preferred.

• Excellent communication and organizational skills required.

Qualified Belongers need only to apply Salary Range: Commensurate based on qualification and experience

Group Director of Food & Beverage

Job Requirements (Chef N B) to be responsible for overall Food & Beverage and Culinary Operations for Grace Bay Resorts by overseeing concepts for front and back of house operations, creating total guest experiences. The successful candidate will have demonstrated experience in achieving food & beverage revenues, profit and guests satisfaction goals by developing and implementing menu designs and concepts that are current with international and local trends, ensuring that the Grace Bay Resorts are culinary Destinations.

The successful candidate must meet the following qualifications and experience: • 10+ years experience in a Senior Culinary Role, either as Executive Chef or Culinary Director.

• Extensive culinary skills, with exposure and

intimate knowledge of international cuisines and food trends.

• Educated in Culinary Management, Food & Beverage Management, Restaurant Management and 5 Diamond requirements • International Hotel and Restaurant experience a must.

• Caribbean experience considered a definite plus.

• As an Executive Committee Member, work closely with the company’s senior management team to develop and implement strategies for food & beverage and kitchen operations that support achievement of the company’s goals.

• Oversees the inventory, purchasing and disbursement of all supplies, while maintaining strong P&L statements.

• Extensive experience overseeing multiple food & beverage units simultaneously, while driving revenue.

• Ability to “think outside of the box” as it relates to menu design, concepts, trends and culinary events.

• Ability to create the “WOW” factor for entertaining VIP guests.

• Demonstrated experience overseeing and developing exceptional Front and Back of House teams to meet and exceed guest expectation, revenue generation and employee satisfaction.

• Ideal candidate will be a “strategic thinker”, skilled at identifying company development opportunities as it relates to overall food & beverage strategies and growth of the Brand.

• New Hotel Opening experience considered a definite asset.

Pastry Chef

Job Requirements: • High school diploma or equivalent vocational training certificate.

• Certification of culinary training or apprenticeship.

• Dependable, organized, team player.

• Sanitation certificate.

• Must read and speak English fluently.

Additional languages an asset.

• Prepares, bakes, and finishes all breads, breakfast pastries, cookies, and other specified baked goods.

• Decorating and plating various pastries and desserts • Overseeing kitchen staff • Ordering supplies • Keeping the kitchen organized

Cook

Job Requirements: • Middle level culinary skills • Dependable, proactive, organized, team player • Education from a formal culinary program • At least two to three years cooking experience; preparing international breakfast, lunch and dinner in regional cooking environment • Sanitation certificate • Ability to plan, organize and execute meal plans • Must speak and read English fluently • Additional languages an asset Qualified Belongers need only to apply Salary Range: Commensurate based on qualification and experience

Pool & Beach Manager

Responsibilities: • Managing all aspects of the beach and pool, in accordance with the hotel standards.

• He/she directs, implements, and maintains a service and management philosophy that serves as a guide to the Water Sports staff.

It is the responsibility of the Pool & Beach Manager to oversee and supervise the Beach and Pool Attendants, ensuring guest services at the beach and pool are running efficiently and smoothly Requirements: • Have two years work experience as a Supervisor in Water Sports in a luxury hotel.

• Be fluent in written and spoken English.

• Possess First Aid certification and CPR Training.

• Be a strong swimmer.

• Monitor the Attendants’ activities to ensure the guests’ needs are being taken care of regularly.

• Greet and inform all guests of the available Water Sports activities. Actively promote excursions.

• Monitor the cleanliness and maintenance of the beach and pool area, as well as the equipment and furniture at those areas • Maintain awareness of all Water Sports activities and Tour Operators on the island.

Actively promote excursions.

• Ensure there are enough supplies, such as fresh towels, for the guests.

• Make certain liability waivers are signed, and all administration is complete.

• Observe and monitor the safety of guests and visitors.

Qualified Belongers need only apply.

Salary Range: Commensurate based on qualification and experience

Interested persons can contact our Human Resources Department no later than April 4, 2014 @ (649) 946-5050 Ext. 1050 Email: veronica.clare@gracebayclub.com. Fax: (649) 946-5758 P.O. Box 128 Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands, British West Indies

March 22 - 28, 2014

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

ADVERTISE

The Meridian Club On Pine Cay Turks & Caicos Islands British West Indies

Position Available At The Meridian Club on Pine Cay

IN THIS SPACE! ONLY

$33 PER WEEK

CALL 946-4664

Island Administrator Note:

Meridian Club operations include the full operation of a private island and resort --- which include: a hotel and home rental operation, along with restaurant, bar, guest excursion, marine, maintenance, gardening, commissary, K-9 security and housekeeping services. The Club handles all reservations and marketing services in-house. Given our size and limited housing capacity, we cannot afford to have management personnel for each area of operations, so this is a unique position requiring multiple skills and obligations. Hours required for this position are those necessary for proper operation of the resort and island 7 days per week throughout season. Employee must therefore reside full time on Pine Cay.

FLOWER GIRL

Wanted urgently

Floral Designer

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

Call: 231-3788

COMMERCIAL BANKING MANAGER

Salary:

Commensurate with education, training, experience, work record and capability.

Minimum $45,000/yr.

Duties of Island Administrator:

Oversees all homeowner service operations and some capital projects( in conjunction with Assistant Island Manager/ Head of Maintenance); oversees all resort administrative functions, including bookkeeping, ordering, staff time records, payroll and billing; assists in maintaining staff discipline; handles insurance issues for resort and island operations; oversees front office staff; participates in establishing operational budgets for resort and island; ensures proper hurricane preparations; maintains records of homeowner services; represents resort and island at hotel and tourist Board meetings; oversees gardening/landscaping operations; works with General Manager to ensure island safety and cordial guest and homeowner relations; provides first aid and life-saving assistance for guests, homeowners and staff as necessary in emergencies and arranges for evacuation to medical facilities on Providenciales if indicated; monitors night security of island and responds to security problems; serves as liaison with Government Labour and Health officials; required to dine and socialize with guests some evenings every week during resort season; jointly oversees and personally provides care, training and handling services for K-9 security dogs.

Job Grade: A84 Annual Salary: $74,450 – $111,650 The Commercial Banking Manager manages the Bank’s Commercial Department to achieve profitable growth at acceptable risk in loans, deposits, and other commercial services. The incumbent also provides service to customers who meet the Bank’s Scotia Service and Complaint Resolution Standards.

Key Accountabilities • Manages the Bank’s conventional credit portfolio at an acceptable level of risk while adhering to Bank’s policies and procedures; • Manages growth of the Bank’s Commercial business and contributes to the overall profitability; • Direct the effective management of customer relationships and provide high quality customer service; • Contribute to the Bank’s productivity and service; • Effectively supervise and develop subordinate staff to fill the needs of the Department and long term requirements of the Bank; • Execute the Department Compliance responsibilities as reflected in the Branch Services and Procedures Manual.

Qualifications Required for Island Administrator: - - - - - - - - -

Minimum of 4 year degree at accredited college or university.

Minimum of 5 years experience in handling administrative duties at 4-5 star resort.

Must have at least 5 years experience in resort guest service operations.

Must be skilled in handling all duties specified above.

Must have experience in preparing resort operational budgets.

Must be willing to reside on Pine Cay on a full time basis, 24 hrs/day.

Must be skilled in using Quickbooks bookkeeping system.

Must have first aid and emergency resuscitation training.

Must be willing to work evenings as necessary and remain available for emergencies at all times.

- Experience working on privately owned island desirable.

- Training and/or experience in landscaping or horticulture desirable.

- Must have training and experience handling K-9 security dogs or be willing to undergo K-9 training courses.

Requirements • Excellent knowledge of Commercial Banking Products and services, including working knowledge of the systems, routines and operating procedures; • Excellent credit skills and sound judgement, as demonstrated through his/her previous track record and experience; • Excellent risk assessment and analytical skills; • Excellent accounting and financial analysis skills; • Knowledge of completion and registration/renewal policies and procedures for security documents, and of procedures and standards for correspondence and credit returns; • Excellent coaching skills and knowledge of training resources made available by the Bank for use by self and subordinates; • Superior industry knowledge with areas of specialization where required; • Superior communication skills (oral and written); • Good understanding of commercial management systems; • Knowledge and understanding of the commercial and retail products used or of potential use to commercial customers and prospects; • Sales Management skills; • Ability to develop and maintain mutually beneficial banking relationship with clients; • Leadership and supervisory skills; • Graduate Degree and/or work equivalency.

Starting Date: Upon acceptance.

Contact Person and Contact Information: Jahmal Misick at Misick & Stanbrook

Please send:

1. Resume + copy of passport with your contact information (mailing address, e-mail address, phone number) 2. Several references with contact information and a statement of how you know each person named, by e-mail to jahmal@misickstanbrook.tc or deliver to the attention of Jahmal Misick at Misick & Stanbrook, Richmond House, Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands 3. Please respond no later than April 11, 2014

Scotiabank offers a highly competitive compensation and benefits package with tremendous opportunities for personal and professional growth to the successful candidates.

Please submit applications no later than March 28, 2014 to: Lynette Grant-Higgs – Human Resources Scotiabank (Turks & Caicos) Ltd. P.O. Box 15, Cherokee Road Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands

Additional Information: All qualified applicants will be interviewed.

9402

9269

36 CLASSIFIEDS

March 22 - 28, 2014

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

CLUB SODAX Is looking for a

ISLAND CLOTHING

Is looking for a

CLASSIFIEDS 37

SORA LTD. is looking for a

SUN REALTY SPRING 2014 LISTINGS 2 one acre commercial lots together asking $175,000.00 each

9274

To work 6 days per week salary $5.00 per hour. contact: 241-5071 or 342-0275 9273

dishwasher To work 6 days per week 5pm10pm salary $5.00 per hour.

contact: 339-7672

9271

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

Parcel 61105/62 Long Bay, Providenciales

(Correction from the previous ad). The property is a rectangular shaped vacant lot located in a relatively undeveloped area where most development has occurred near the beach. The land is an attractive corner lot on Curlew Drive in the third tier from the beach and has relatively good elevation. Registered Proprietor: Titus Deboer The auction will be held at the offices of Scotiabank (Turks and Caicos) Limited, Grace Bay Branch, Providenciales at 10 o’clock in the morning on Friday the 28th day of March 2014.

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

For further information please contact Scotiabank on telephone # (649) 3397100.

Regulation 7 of the Physical Planning (Development Permission) Regulations 1990

Notice of Application for Development Permission (Regularization) Application No. PR11817 has been submitted to the Department of Planning by Simon Anthony Slattery & Camille Ann Slattery for consideration of Development Permission for Regularization Of Existing Tourism-Related Development, being Horse Stables, Exercise Corral, Feed Storage And Ancillary Buildings, as well as Indication Of Future 2-Bedroom Staff Dwelling. The Development is located at Block 61108, Parcel 32, Long Bay Hills, Providenciales.

6 Hilltop view lots, 100ft -+ elevation from $185,000.00 24 acres near Bellfield Landing and North Caicos Yacht Club on Dick Hill Creek (700 Feet) North Caicos asking $8,500.00 per acre will subdivide Multi Zoned Parcel with a great South shore view, ready to build asking $75,000.00

“Brokers welcome” call 649-946-4384 or 649-243-4171 or stateside 561-282-6898/706-782-6677 email: manager@sunrealty.tc

9400

To work 6 days per week salary $5.50 per hour. contact: 242-1827

cashier

The School for Field Studies Center for Marine Resource Studies – South Caicos

Education Coordinator

Seeking enthusiastic, team-oriented intern to provide program support for students and staff. Live harmoniously alongside students and staff, supporting the SFS mission and five year plan. Assist Student Affairs Manager in community outreach. Adhere to, actively model and enforce all SFS and Center policies and procedures. Other additional duties may be assigned as needed.

Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in Environmental Education or similar field required, PhD preferred • Ability to receive TCI work authorization required • Familiarity with the American university system required • Organization and community event planning Compensation/Benefits: Room & board

Send CV to RDAKE@FIELDSTUDIES.ORG no later than April 15, 2014

9281

kitchen helper

14 acres in Turtle Cove with views of Grace Bay asking $135,000.00 per acre

SPA TROPIQUE Is on the hunt to find the best

Massage Therapist Wouldn’t you like to work for the best spa company on island?

If you have at least three years experience with a four star spa and have an upbeat and positive personality, we hope you will come and meet with us! Applicants must be able to speak and write English fluently, have a clean driver’s license and their own vehicle.

Please email your resume to: relax@spatropique.com please reply by April 14th, 2014 salary negotiable

If you wish to make any representations, you may do so in writing to the Director of Planning, South Base, Grand Turk or through the Department of Planning, Town Center Mall, Butterfield Square, Providenciales.

9398

March 22 - 28, 2014

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY!!

DAPHNE’S VARIETY STORE

Brama Kumaris

Is looking for the following persons:

Raja Yoga

the largest readership in the turks & caicos

Meditation Centre Turks and Caicos Islands

Domestic Worker

Labourer Salary $5.50 per hour

GOVERNMENT VACANCIES

www.bkwsu.com Email: bkpadma@bkwsutci.com

Contact: 232-5443

9266

TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS

EY Contractors Providenciales Telephone: 2327256

The following vacancies currently exist within the Turks and Caicos Islands Public Service:

Water Engineer– Grand Turk

(Deadline: March 28, 2014) Salary: $43,200 per annum The Water Engineer is responsible for the effective technical and commercial oversight of the Water Undertaking Unit. The incumbent in this position is required to monitor the quality of potable water, ensuring a constant and regular supply of potable water to customers

Court Reporter/Stenographer – Providenciales

(Deadline: April 1, 2014) Salary: $25,190 per annum The job holder will supervise and prepare all transcripts for all court users and officials of the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court as well as record hearings and minutes at formal or informal meetings as required.

Telephone 946-4760 & 332-4101

Mason Salary $7.00 per hour

9264

Marine Mechanic Liveaboard scuba vessel seeks an experienced Marine Mechanic who has the ability to repair and maintain all shipboard systems including but not limited to MES, breathing air compressors, RO water makers, generators and A/C. Candidates must have STCW-95 basic safety certification.

Approved engine course certification and previous liveaboard experience are preferred. Written and spoken English fluency required.

Please email resumes to: diana@explorerventures.com

Asst. Commissioner of Revenue – Grand Turk

(Deadline: March 28, 2014) Salary:$48,600 per annum The incumbent in this position will work in collaboration with the Commissioner of Revenue, to ensure accurate interpretation and applications of tax legislations.

Maid – Grand Turk

(Deadline: March 28, 2014) Salary: $413.40 Bi-weekly The successful candidate will be responsible to provide clean, sanitary comfortable, orderly and satisfying surroundings for the users of the facilities.

Mathematics Teacher – South Caicos

(Deadline: March 31, 2014) Salary: $27,840-$31,020 per annum This is a specialist position which has unit level responsibility for the teaching of one or more of the school’s curriculum subjects to students.

Administrative Assistant – South Caicos

(Deadline: March 31, 2014) Salary: $15,514 per annum The incumbent in this position will be responsible for secretarial and administrative support functions in the office.

Interpreter – Providenciales

(Deadline: March 28, 2014) Salary: $15,720-$18,600 per annum The incumbent in this position will be responsible for field/community prevention and mobilization activities with emphasis on the Spanish/Creole population as it relates to the plans and programs of the National AIDS Program.

Chief Justice – Grand Turk/Providenciales

(Deadline: March 28, 2014) Salary: $160,000 per annum The principal work of the Chief Justice is to preside over both civil and criminal trials in Grand Turk and Providenciales. In addition he or she deals with Sufficiency and Plea and Direction hearings on a monthly basis.

Interested persons are asked to visit www.gov.tc for job details and the application procedure.

Applications are invited from suitably qualified persons for the position of

Terminal Cleaning Supervisor Job Overview: The Supervisor’s role is to coordinate and oversee cleaning within the terminal facility, manage the buildings cleaning staff and ensures cleaning tasks are performed in accordance with management standards and to report to the Terminal Manager.

Applicants must: • Have completed High School Education • Have basic computer knowledge • Be able to read, write and communicate effectively in English • Must possess strong leadership skills • Must be willing to work on a shift basis, on holidays and on weekends Duties and Responsibilities: • Have overall responsibility for the day to day cleaning operations of the terminal.

• Prepare daily cleaning reports • Monitor stock of cleaning supplies and equipment • Assign staff daily duties and inspect work • Perform cleaning duties in case of staff shortage or emergencies Salary payable is $18,900 per annum Interested persons must submit their applications before March 26, 2014 to:

The Human Resources, Training & Development Manager Turks & Caicos Islands Airports Authority, Providenciales International Airport, Turks and Caicos Islands Telephone # 649-941-8692, Fax # 649-941-5996 Email: info@tciairports.com

9553

38

39

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

CALVERT HAMILTON BOTTLE CREEK NORTH CAICOS is looking for

DIVE INSTRUCTOR

laboUrer

Liveaboard scuba vessel seeks an experienced English speaking, active teaching status Scuba Instructor with several specialties including EANX and a strong customer service background, PADI/SDI preferred, candidates must have STCW-95 basic safety certification, previous liveaboard experience, the ability to speak multiple languages and additional skills/specialties are preferred.

contact: 242-9009

Please email resumes to diana@explorerventures.com

to maintain the yard and clean the surrounding salary $5.00 per hour to work 6 days per week Belongers only need apply.

9532

9552

March 22 - 28, 2014

The Meridian Club On Pine Cay Turks & Caicos Islands British West Indies

Massage Therapist/Spa Technician at The Meridian Club on Pine Cay. Salary: Remuneration based on commission + accommodation on Pine Cay. Duties: To provide massage treatments to guests (Swedish, Swedish Deep Tissue, reiki, visceral manipulation, hot stone massage) as well esthetics, waxing, pedicure and manicures.

Qualifications Required:

• Successful candidate will have completed a minimum of 1200 hour massage therapy program and have a minimum of 5 years experience at 4-5 star operations.

• Must possess some culinary skills • Must be willing to reside on Pine Cay on a full time basis.

• Must have pleasant personality, clean and neat personal appearance and enjoy working with people.

• Must be able to speak and read English.

• Must be able to work flexible hours.

Starting Date: June 2014

Contact Information:

You may also drop off resumes at TCR Sotheby’s Venture House in the Salt Mills area to the attn: The Meridian Club.

Additional Information: All qualified applicants will be interviewed.

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Send resume with your contact information (mailing address, e-mail address, phone number) by e-mail to manager@meridianclub.com or by fax to 941 7010. Please also include 3 references with contact information and how you know this person. + copy of passport + police report.

40

March 22 - 28, 2014

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

Science & Technology

Lost sleep leads to loss of brain cells, study suggests SLEEP loss may be more serious than previously thought, causing a permanent loss of brain cells, research suggests.

In mice, prolonged lack of sleep led to 25% of certain brain cells dying, according to a study in The Journal of Neuroscience.

If the same is true in humans, it may be futile to try to catch up on missed sleep, say US scientists.

They think it may one day be possible to develop a drug to protect the brain from the side-effects of lost sleep.

The study, published in The Journal of Neuroscience, looked at lab mice that were kept awake to replicate the kind of sleep loss common in modern life, through night shifts or long hours in the office.

A team at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine studied certain brain cells which are involved in keeping the brain alert.

After several days of sleep patterns similar to those followed by night workers three days of night shifts with only four to five hours sleep in 24 hours - the mice lost 25% of the brain cells, in part of the brain stem.

The researchers say this is the first evidence that sleep loss can lead to a loss of brain cells.

But they add that more work needs to be done to find out if people who miss out on sleep might also be at risk of permanent damage.

Prof Sigrid Veasey of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology, told BBC News: “We now have

BACTERIA in our stomach ferment chocolate into useful anti-inflammatory compounds that are good for the heart, scientists have said.

Gut brew’ gives chocolate its edge

Sleep loss is bad for mood and mental processing.

evidence that sleep loss can lead to irreversible injury.

“This might be in a simple animal but this suggests to us that we are going to have to look very carefully in humans.”

She said the next step was to examine the brains of shift workers after death for evidence of any loss of brain cells.

In the long-term, they think

it might be possible to develop a medicine that protects brain cells, by boosting a natural chemical involved in sleep recovery.

Prof Hugh Piggins of the University of Manchester said the experiment indicated in a mouse model of sleep deprivation what might go wrong in the human brain.

“The authors draw parallels with night shift work in

humans and suggest how chronic sleep deprivation could adversely affect not only our physical, but also our mental health,” he said.

“This possibility will need to be tested by a lot more research. Nonetheless, it is consistent with many recent reports of importance of circadian clocks and sleep cycles for optimal well-being. “ (BBC)

BACTERIA in our stomach ferment chocolate into useful anti-inflammatory compounds that are good for the heart, scientists have said.

The Louisiana State University team told the American Chemical Society meeting that their lab work had revealed the finding.

Gut microbes such as Bifidobacterium feast on the chocolate and release beneficial polyphenolic compounds.

The scientists believe adding fruit to chocolate could boost the fermentation.

Dr John Finley and his team tested cocoa powder, but say solid dark chocolate contains the same polyphenolic or

Ancient skeleton is the earliest case of cancer yet detected RESEARCHERS have discovered the earliest confirmed case of cancer in a young man who lived in ancient Egypt.

The discovery of a diseased skeleton dating back to around 1,200 BC was made at the Amara West site in northern Sudan.

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The new finding suggests that the disease has its roots in the distant past.

Details of the skeleton have been published in the Journal PLOS ONE. The skeleton was discovered by Michaela Binder, a PhD student at Durham University.

She said the find was of “critical importance in learning about the underlying causes of cancer in ancient populations, before the onset of modern lifestyles”.

Cancer is thought of as a modern-day disease, spurred on by smoking, unhealthy lifestyles and the stresses of day-to-day living. Ms Binder’s discovery suggests that the disease was prevalent thousands of years ago.

“I was surprised to see such a cancer in an individual from ancient Egyptian times,” she told BBC News.

“We still don’t know a lot about cancer. Only a very few examples have been found of the disease in the distant past.”

The skeleton of a young man who suffered from cancer more than 3,000 years ago.

Ms Binder’s finding is of particular interest because it is 2,000 years older than the previously confirmed instance of the disease.

Evolving disease When she unearthed the skeleton she found that the bones were riddled with holes.

She worked with Daniel Antoine, a curator at the British Museum, who is responsible for the museum’s human remains.

“It was very exciting to work with such a well preserved skeleton,” he told BBC News.

“The marks on the bones were very clear and our analysis showed that there was evidence that the young man suffered from a type of cancer.”

The discovery will be of great interest to medical researchers, according to Dr Kat Arney of Cancer Research UK. “If they can analyse the DNA from the skeleton, it might tell us about the gene mutations that made [this person] susceptible to this type of cancer. That could shed light on the evolution of the disease, along with the evolution of humankind.”

There have been some previous hints of the disease in archaeological records.

antioxidant compounds.

Meanwhile, the US National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute plans a big trial of a chocolate pill for heart disease.

It’s teaming up with chocolate manufacturer Mars, which has patented a way to extract a specific type of these beneficial compounds flavanols - from cocoa in high concentration and put them in capsules.

Dr JoAnn Mason, who will be leading the trial, said: “You’re not going to get these protective flavanols in most of the candy on the market.

Cocoa flavanols are often destroyed by the processing.”

The idea of the study was to see whether there are health benefits from chocolate’s ingredients minus the sugar and fat, she said.

The 18,000 participants that they hope to recruit will get dummy pills or two capsules a day of cocoa flavanols for four years, and neither they nor the study leaders will know who is taking what during the study.

Christopher Allen, of the British Heart Foundation, said: “Though flavanols are found in dark chocolate, this doesn’t mean we can reach for a chocolate bar and think we’re helping our hearts. Flavanols are often destroyed by processing and by the time a chocolate bar lands on the supermarket shelf it will also contain added extras such as sugar and fat.”

He said though chocolate could be enjoyed as a treat, it was not good to eat in large quantities.

“Eating lots of sugary and fatty foods can lead to obesity and type-2 diabetes, which are major risk factors for heart attacks and strokes,” he said.

A diet rich in fruit and vegetables, combined with an active lifestyle, is the best way to keep your heart healthy, the BHF advises. (BBC)

March 22 - 28, 2014

Sports Interational

41

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

David Moyes hopes Man Utd win can be turning point

Novak Djokovic came from a set down to defeat Roger Federer at Indian Wells.

Djokovic defeats Roger Federer at Indian Wells FACED by a man wielding a tennis racquet like a wand, Novak Djokovic produced some magic of his own to claim victory in the final of the Indian Well Masters event.

Djokovic, who was blown away in the opening set by Roger Federer, was forced to summon every ounce of strength and determination to deny his opponent a fifth title at the Californian venue.

Having lost the opener 6-3, Djokovic hit back to take the second 6-3 and win a third set tiebreak following an enthralling contest.

It was Djokovic’s third triumph

at Indian Wells having won there in 2008 and 2011 and his first tournament victory of the year.

Federer, the man so many dared to write off, showed once again that he still possesses enough magic to trouble his younger opponents.

The 17-time grand slam champion had begun in imperious fashion, racing through the first set as Djokovic struggled for rhythm and consistency.

Federer, 32, defeated Djokovic on his way to winning the Dubai title last month and his confidence was clear to see as he wasted little time in dominating his opponent.

MANCHESTER United boss David Moyes hopes his side’s Champions League win over Olympiakos can be a turning point in their disappointing season.

Robin van Persie’s hat-trick overturned Olympiakos’s 2-0 firstleg advantage to send United into the quarter-finals.

Moyes said: “It was a magnificent team performance. I don’t want to come out and say, ‘this is the moment’, but I hope it is.

“We have been asked a similar question before and we have not shown it.”

The Scot, who has been under growing pressure following Sunday’s 3-0 home defeat by Liverpool, added: “This is a work in progress and it will take time to get it as we really want it. It is a big job.

“I have got a lot of things I want to do but the players gave the crowd something after we lost to Liverpool and we are delighted to see Manchester United in the last eight of the Champions League.

“I am very pleased after Sunday’s performance and result. We needed it and I thought we did it in style. We played very well and deserved our victory.

“I’m not feeling any pressure from inside the club; it’s coming from [the media]. We know the job we have to do. I’s probably bigger than I thought when I first came to the club.

Manchester United boss David Moyes says his team’s performance was magnificent.

“There are stories of this player falling out, or that one falling out, but it is rubbish. People are looking for reasons why we are not doing well and it is only because we have not been playing well.”

Although Van Persie scored the goals before going off on a stretcher with a knee injury, Moyes praised the contribution of recalled 40-yearold Ryan Giggs, who had a hand in the first two goals.

“Ryan’s passing was fantastic,” Moyes said. “His overall play was really good and he defies his age.

He’s a great player. Everyone who has been at Manchester United will tell you that.

“He has not played much recently.

He is 40 years old and I maybe needed to look to the future and give everybody opportunities but I felt tactically I needed him to play a certain role which I knew he would understand with his experience. He carried it out perfectly.”

Moyes is hopeful that Van Persie’s injury is not serious - and he was also delighted with the striker’s contribution.

“To score a hat-trick in the Champions League is a big thing,” he said. “There are only certain players in the world who are capable of it and Robin van Persie is one of them. “[The injury] doesn’t look that bad. He’s had a knock on the back of his knee.” (BBC)

Lionel Messi breaks Barcelona record

Tiger Woods will not play at this week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Woods could miss Masters TIGER Woods has raised fears he may be forced to miss the U.S. Masters at Augusta after withdrawing from the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Woods announced Tuesday that he will not play at the event because of a persistent back problem which has troubled him since last year.

The 14-time major winner has struggled over the past month and failed to finish the Honda Classic at Palm Beach Gardens where he quit after 13 holes of his final round.

Woods, 38, tweaked his back at the WGC-Cadillac Championship in Miami a week later and is facing a race against time to be ready for the U.S. Masters, which starts on April 10.

“It’s too early to know about the

Masters, and I will continue to be evaluated and work closely with my doctors,” said Woods, who has won at Augusta on four occasions.

“I feel badly that I won’t be able to play in this great tournament this week.”

Woods has won the Arnold Palmer invitational eight times, including the past two tournaments.

In a statement on his website, Woods revealed he telephoned Palmer directly to tell him he would be unable to defend his title in Orlando.

“I personally called Arnold today to tell him that, sadly, I won’t be able to play in his tournament this year,” Woods said.

PERHAPS the most frightening statistic attached to Lionel Messi is the fact that he’s only 26.

Another day, another record broken.

Messi became Barcelona’s alltime leading scorer Sunday after his hat-trick helped Tata Martino’s team to a 7-0 victory over Osasuna.

Messi, who has now scored 371 goals, eclipsed the record set by Paulino Alcantara, who scored 369 goals in 357 appearances between 1912-1927.

It is the sixth consecutive season in which he has scored 30 goals -- not bad for a man who has been accused of not reaching the exorbitant levels which he has set in years past.

His 25th hat-trick for Barcelona ensured his side moved to win four points of league leader Real Madrid ahead of “El Clasico” next weekend.

Osasuna simply had no answer to Barcelona’s attacking prowess as the home side thrashed its lowly opponent.

Alexis Sanchez, Andres Iniesta, Cristian Tello and Pedro were all on target at Camp Nou. Messi’s first hat-trick since the

Lionel Messi has now scored 371 goals.

Champions League win over Ajax in September 2013 could scarcely have come at a better time for Barca.

Martino’s men must gain a result at Real next weekend to have any chance of retaining its league title “I think we can beat Real Madrid in the Bernabeu and that would put us right in the fight for La Liga,” Sanchez told Canal Plus.

“Both teams will see themselves as favorites, they are the two biggest clubs in the world and it will be a great game. We are going to the Bernabeu with only the intention of winning.”

Elsewhere, Sevilla defeated Real Valladolid 4-1 and Real Sociedad recorded a 1-0 victory over Valencia.

(CNN)

42

March 22 - 28, 2014

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

Sports Interational

Pistorius on his stumps when he opened fire, says expert A KEY police ballistics expert has said Oscar Pistorius was not wearing his prosthetic legs when he shot his girlfriend, as the athlete’s trial continued in South Africa.

Correspondents say this lends support to the defence team’s insistence that the shooting was not premeditated.

Mr Pistorius denies murdering Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day 2013, saying he thought she was an intruder.

The prosecution says he intentionally shot her after an argument.

On day 13 of the trial, Captain Christian Mangena said analysis of the crime scene and his subsequent tests suggested that Mr Pistorius, 27, was not wearing the prostheses when he fired the fatal shots.

Capt Mangena also said that while he had not been able to determine the exact distance, the evidence pointed to the shots having been fired from a position greater than 60cm (23 inches) away from the toilet door but no further than 3m.

Correspondents say this is in line

Oscar Pistorius was comforted by his sister Aimee as the trial was adjourned on day 13.

with the athlete’s testimony that he pulled the trigger while standing at the entrance to the bathroom.

Explaining the trajectory of the bullets, Capt Mangena said that Ms Steenkamp, 29, was standing up in the toilet cubicle when she was hit in the right hip by the first of four bullets.

He said she then fell backwards before being hit in the arm and the head by the last two bullets fired by Mr Pistorius through the wooden door as she crossed both hands over

her head to protect herself.

‘She dropped immediately’ Contradicting the athlete’s testimony that the shots had been fired in close succession, Capt Mangena said there had been a short break between the first and second shots and that the second bullet missed Ms Steenkamp.

Correspondents say this corroborates evidence given by a neighbour who said she heard a shot, then a pause, then three further shots.

It also suggests that Ms Steenkamp may have had time to scream before she fell to the floor, supporting the neighbour’s testimony that she had heard a woman screaming.

“I’m of the opinion that after [the first] wound was inflicted... she dropped immediately,” Capt Mangena said. She then slumped into a “seated or semi-seated position” on top of a magazine rack, according to the police officer.

After the third and fourth shots she “ended up with her head on top of the toilet seat, and the lower part of her body on the rack”, Capt Mangena added.

Kevin Pietersen who was recently booted from England’s cricket says he is excited about the IPL captaincy.

Pietersen to captain Delhi Daredevils in IPL FORMER England batsman Kevin Pietersen has been named captain of the Delhi Daredevils for the Indian Premier League, which starts on 16 April.

Pietersen, 33, is England’s all-time leading run-scorer across all formats.

However, he was told he was no longer part of the national team’s plans after the tourists’ 5-0 Ashes whitewash.

Pietersen tweeted: “I’m excited

about leading Delhi Daredevils. We want to have a hard working and fun environment where we enjoy our cricket.”

The 33-year-old played for the Daredevils in 2012, scoring 305 runs at an average of 61 in eight matches.

He missed the 2013 edition of the tournament through injury, but will now be available for a full IPL season for the first time following the end of his international career.

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March 22 - 28, 2014

43

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

Sports National Josh for Sports 2014 National High School Track and Field Championships:

Best ever organised school meet THE recently concluded National High School Track and Field Championships represent an example of several lessons in the results of persistent efforts to make progressive, positive strides in the advancement and proper organisation of a national athletics meet in the TCI by a local based body.

For those who have been historically familiar with the inefficiency of such events in the past, this would be a breath of fresh air. Many might have even been left in awe at the high level of organisation at this prestigious event.

In my opinion, this meet has the distinct honour of being the best organised in the history of the event. There are various factors which contributed to the smashing organisational success of the meet earlier this month at the National Stadium.

FIRSTLY One of the key factors of success was the experience, efficiency and expert knowledge and organisational skills of the legendary Acting Sports

By Joshua Gardiner

Director Judith Robinson.

For many years, Ms. Robinson has been working overtime with little support (until now) to achieve organisational respectability in the level of efficiency in national sports in our beloved TCI. Her many exposure to first-hand world class competitions as an athlete, and having rubbed shoulders with the makers and shakers of world athletics, have finally publically manifested positive results and have made an everlasting impression on this year’s Nationals as we hunger for more of what we just witnessed.

To drive home the reality of the

level of commitment that this lady has for sports in this country, one needs to be aware of Judith’s personal life.

Many might not know than under the enthusiasm shown Judith was grieving for the loss of her three-year-old granddaughter in the DR. Actually the day after the conclusion of the meet she flew to GT to organise the interment of her loved one.

It takes a tremendous amount of inner strength for a human being to perform so admirably under such circumstances.

THE EDUCATIONAL PROFESSIONALS The Ministry of Sports and Education was also directly responsible for the historic achievement that just took place under the watch of Ms. Robinson.

The formation of a Secondary Head Principals Association (along with their physical education heads) to synchronise a unified coordinated body to facilitate uniformity within all schools have been very successful. The body has managed

to keep things on the same page across the board which has ensured that there are no conflicts of seasonal schedules among the schools.

THE DYNAMIC RESULTS This became a most dynamic and formidable strategy to enable the young athletes of this country to excel with the backing of their institutional heads and staff.

Naturally the majority of the teachers became involved in this ambitious proactive endeavour and the results have been an astounding success for the good of all involved.

This positive nature of our educational system is also nurturing and systematically creating worthy ambassadors for our schools, our islands and the nation as a whole.

THE IAAF The International Association of Athletics Federation had a representative here who assisted as a special consultant to the organisers of the Meet. Even though there were a few errors made, the level of organisational efficiency leaped

up at least five knots on a 10-knots scale. This is real progress.

SECURITY The presence of police and security personnel assured that there would be no gross, general mis-behaviour.

For the first time there were metal detector scanners as well as a sniff dog at the gate which was responsible for the nabbing of two individuals discovered to have cannabis in their shoes. The expressed intention of the Sports Dept. is to make this meet an attraction for tourists next year.

This is the dream of Ms. Robinson.

AUDIENCE The spectators were the catalytic stimulants that prodded the athletes to compete with their greatest zeal.

The young athletes were cheered, applauded and urged on by their fans and those who wanted to see good competition.

FUTURE If this meet is any indication of things futuristic, we have a lot more to expect next year.

2014 National High School Track and Field Championships:

Performance analysis of our high schools’ athletes CLEMENT HOWELL’S REDEMPTION I’ve always said/believed that we should not give up on errant youths.

But on the contrary, we need to reaccess their needs and figure out a way to reinforce positive values in them and re-direct their excessive energies.

The coaching staff of the CHHS should be recognised for a job well done in steering their athletes to an overwhelming victory over the rest of the country’s high schools.

After all of the negative national publicity for displaying unimaginable behaviours as students, they now have stolen the spotlight (again) as the National Track and Field High School champions.

Messer Ford and Messer Forbes and all who assisted these athletes to shine head and shoulders above the rest, must be applauded and I take my hat off to them.

THE DIFFERENCE The determining factor was that the

CHHS athletes have been training for months (since October last year).

According to Coach Ford there was a nucleus shortlist of some 50 odd students who endured this training squad from which the team was chosen.

A superior physical, psychological and emotional conditioning was evident in these athletes as they displayed a never ending determination to battle to the end during competition. On the contrary, there were many winners who when interviewed by the TV boasted that they had not trained for their events, but prevail on raw natural ability and talent over their field.

This outlook is a get no-where attitude and will not cut it regionally and internationally.

THE JAMAICAN COMPARISON While we only have one national meet available for our young athletes, before the Carifta team is chosen, Jamaica has at least 20 meets sanctioned by their JAAA.

No wonder why we cannot compete against this Caribbean powerhouse.

LACK OF TECHNICAL INSTRUCTORS It is totally inexcusable as to why our athletes look so pathetic on their lousy execution techniques displayed in various events. Among the events includes: the javelin, shot put and discus. It was also a disgrace that there was no pole vaulting competition or hurdle events.

These exclusions are a clear indication that our PE teachers are not all qualified as complete coaches. Furthermore each school needs at least three coaches (running, throwing and jumping), that’s the way forward.

CHOOSING A CARIFTA TEAM It is my opinion that there should be at least three CARIFTA trials held before our national team is chosen.

The high school meet should not count as a trial for the CARIFTA team, because it is not designed as

such.

STANDARDS The time has long past when we choose athletes with no possibility of being competitive internationally.

Thus we need to set realistic standards to select the best possible team to represent our country.

I’d say that a person who does not make the eighth place qualifying time or distance, that was recorded at the last CARIFTA (going into the finals), should not be included in the national side.

Realistically, this gives our potential team members a goal to shoot for; they’ll know that they have to work hard.

U-18 AND U-20 One last factor that needs to be exploited is the fact that many of our class 1 athletes are actually U-18 CARIFTA athletes. We thus need to capitalise on this fact.

EXPECTATION

By Joshua Gardiner

I fully expect that we can win at least six medals at the 2014 CARIFTA Games.

PREDICTIONS After analysing the results of the Nationals, if I were to choose a national CARIFTA team it would be as follows: U-18 females Five sprinters who would run the 100M, the 4X100M and the 4X400M U-18 males Five sprinters 100M, 200M, 400M, 4X100M and 4X400M Rand Rigby 5000M Two U-18 high jumpers Two U-20 high jumpers

44

Sports National

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

March 22 - 28, 2014

Provo Hockey League Playoffs:

Panthers, Gators and Lightning stay undefeated THE Gracebay Car Rentals and Sales Panthers, the Gansevoort Gators and Coco Bistro Lightning have stayed unbeaten in the Provo Hockey League Playoffs which continued last Saturday at the Graceway Sports Centre in Providenciales.

The Panthers, who have only lost a single game overall, once again stamped their authority on the Midget Division. After defeating the TWA Marcelin Wolf Pirates 7-3 the previous week, they defeated the Scotiabank Sharks 7-4 last Saturday.

Gabriel Diotte-Joly and Matthew Harnett were again in the thick of things, scoring three goals and three assists and three goals and two assists respectively for the winners.

The Sharks were led by Alyssa Laing (two goals).

In the other Midget Division game the Pirates suffered their second loss after going down to the BCQS Flames in overtime 3-4.

Gregory Lewis led the winners with three goals while Dockarick Barrett finished with two goals for the Pirates.

MINI DIVISION The Gansevoort Gators who had defeated the Sailrock Lobsters in week one, were again victorious in the second week. They eased past the Saunders and Co Owls 4-2. Jude Smith and Ronin Maclaren led the

The J and D Collectors’ Mervin Forbes powered his way to 17 points and six boards in his team’s win over the Predators.

Sebastian Turbyfield kept the Lightning undefeated in the post season with four goals and an assist against the Hurricanes.

winners with two goals and two assists each while Joshua Saunders finished with one goal and an assist for the Owls.

The Digicel 4G Comets won their first Playoff game after defeating the Sailrock Lobsters 6-2. Jaden Robinson led all scorers with three successful strikes while Gabriel Osmond added a pair and Michael Saunders two goals and one assist.

Khalid Fulford finished with one goal and one assist for the Lobsters.

BANTAM DIVISION The Lightning, who had defeated the Gracebay Surge by one goal 5-4 in week one, again won a close encounter, but more importantly they

stayed undefeated. The clash against the J&W Construction Hurricanes ended 7-6 with Sebastian Turbyfield leading the charge for the winners with four goals and an assist. Carson Greatrex added three goals. The Hurricanes were led by Joe Canham (three goals) and Orrin Campbell (two goals and two assists).

The Hurricanes later bounced back to keep the Surge winless in the post season. The game which ended 8-4 saw Campbell scoring four goals and making an assist while Dylan Brubaker added two goals and an assist and Javed Shearer and Canham one goal and two assists each.

Bradley Ayer led the Surge with three goals.

WIV Provo Premier League:

Cheshire Hall close gap after Academy lose to Sharks A SURPRISING loss by league leaders the AFC Academy to the SWA Sharks has cut their lead down to two points in the exciting WIV Provo Premier League.

Breathing heavy on the Academy necks are defending champions Cheshire Hall who have 16 points (five wins and a draw) in seven games. The Academy are on 18 points with six wins in eight games.

Rozo FC (13 points) are followed by the Sharks (10 points), Beaches (seven points) and the Trailblazers and Teachers (four points each).

On Saturday night Cheshire Hall defeated Beaches 3-0.

After a goalless first half an eventful penalty (taken three times) eventually resulted in Nickenson Agelus finding the back of the net, before Peguy Ponceley made it 2-0 (some thought he was offside).

Navar Cumberland added a third seven minutes from time to seal the

Romain Small scored twice in the Trailblazers’ first win.

win.

The other clash between Beaches and the Academy was re-scheduled to Wednesday evening and the former who handed Cheshire Hall their only loss (the league opener), did another giant killing with a sensational come-from-behind 4-2

win.

Academy were ahead 2-0 in 15 minutes of play before goals from Dady Aristide, Trevor Kennealy and two from Marius Giese (including a 40-yard lob shot whilst under pressure from defenders) sealed the win.

Prior to that clash the Trailblazers won their first game when they defeated the Teachers 4-3 on Tuesday evening.

The Teachers romped to a 3-0 lead in the first half, Dane Ritchie (opened in the fifth minute), before Kamar Pitter added the two others.

Trailblazers turned up the heat in the second period and were duly rewarded when Romain Small scored twice, Carlo Guillaume (who spun and shot well to equalise) added the third and Ergun Kidik, who made a great run and then blasted the ball from the 15-yard mark, added the fourth.

Sandro Germain scored 31 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and made five steals for the Police Badgers.

PABA Night League:

Germain leads Police Badgers to big win ONE of the leading scorers in the Provo Amateur Basketball Association (PABA) Night League Saundro Germain continued his dominance when he chalked up 31 points, 10 boards and five steals in the Police Badgers’ huge 44-point blowout of the Sonics.

In the game at the Gus Lightbourne Sports Complex court the lawmen defeated the Sonics 76-32. Brandon LaMotte (29 points) was the scoring weapon for the losing side; he scored all but three points of the Sonics’ total.

Also on Friday night the Five Cays Flyers defeated the Shottas 6052. Javin Green led the winners with 15 points and three assists, but it was the Shottas’ Sugar Ray Smith who led all scorers with 22 points and seven boards.

In the other clash the Predators defeated the Ballers 72-56. Calvin Dean led the winners with 17 points and 10 boards while the Ballers’ Benjie Angie finished with 18 points and four rebounds.

Shottas bounced back on Saturday night to defeat the Ballers 56-55 with

Alvin Handfield scoring 12 points and pulling down a game-high 16 boards. The Ballers were led by Josh Morris who finished with 17 points and five rebounds.

The J and D Collectors then claimed a one-point win over the Predators with Mervin Forbes powering his way to 17 points and six boards for the winners. Troy Saunders led the Predators with 14 points and five boards.

BIG CLASHES The big round-two battle between current league leaders and defending champions the GT Stallions and the South Caicos Harbour Boys was scheduled for this Friday night (March 21st) at the same venue.

HB Boys (two losses) handed the Stallions their only loss this season in the first clash. With pride and placement at stake, both teams will have a lot to play for in the highly anticipated game.

Earlier the Knights were set to meet the Spartans and the Sonics (looking for their first win this season) were scheduled to play the Ballers.

March 22 - 28, 2014

Sports National

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TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

TCI Flamingos maul George Washington University THE TCI Flamingos are flawless this year against international opponents. After defeating the New Jersey Bayonne Bombers 47-0 a few weeks ago in a friendly rugby clash, the TCI senior men’s team, the Flamingos, have recorded another lopsided victory. This time it’s 65-0 against first time visitors the George Washington University and it happened under lights to the cheers of approximately 200 supporters.

In the game, which was played last Saturday evening at the Meridian Field, TCI’s mixture of youth and experience was too much for the visitors. Six players scored tries: Club Captain Sean O’Neill led the attack with three, Neil French added a pair and Steven Taylor (who was later named the MVP), Luis Turbyfield (who scored the conversions), Callis Jones and Augustin Modeste added one each.

GWU, who were no walkovers, had suffered a 38-31 defeat to the national U-21 team last Wednesday.

IMPRESSIVE Public Relations Officer of the local body, the TCIRFU, Paul Collis said that the young players were impressive during the two-team tour.

“Right now our men’s national team is complimented by members of our NACRA winning under 19s team from last summer, which gives the team balance and a perfect mix of youth and experience. We are always looking to promote our youngsters who possess great raw talent that needs to be nurtured” He pointed out that many of the TCI youth players were impressive in their U-21 game and also when they played in the national senior squad.

The national senior men’s rugby team, the Flamingos, have been flawless so far this year.

“Steven Taylor (MVP), Luis Turbyfield and Callis Jones all impressed and look to have a great future in the game.”

Collis thanked both the GWU and the Bombers for their visits and for giving the national senior team much needed practice ahead of international games again the Bahamas, Jamaica and Mexico.

“It (the games) gave all the players some much needed game time and chance to work on tactics and refine our strategy. The focus now moves to the international games and all the players are working hard on the field and in the gym to be in top condition.

20th anniversary of the TCI Community College:

“March Madness” set for this Saturday night THE Provo Amateur Basketball Association (PABA) in collaboration with the TCI Community College Foundation will hold an exciting night of basketball this Saturday at the Gus Lightbourne Sports Complex.

The event dubbed “March Madness” will see the

current top four teams in the PABA Night League (the GT Stallions, the Five Cay Flyers, Harbour Boys and Predators) battle to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the TCI Community College.

Money raised will go to the college scholarship funds. Prizes are sponsored by Scotiabank.

We thank all of our sponsors and volunteers for their continued support of the TCIRFU.” The North Zone League Cup

a part of the NACRA Caribbean Championships will be played over a five-week period with the Jamaica game on May 17th followed by the

big match at home on May 31st against local rivals the Bahamians.

The TCI Flamingos will then travel to Mexico to play on June 21st 2014.

Eighteen selected for CARIFTA 2014

THE Turks and Caicos Amateur Athletics Association (TCAAA) has named a squad of 18 players to represent us at the 2014 CARIFTA Games which is scheduled from April 19-21 in Martinique.

The team, which includes 13 boys and five girls will be coached by Alvirto Smith with Randy Forbes as his deputy and Brenda Lightbourne as the chaperone.

Among the athletes are 2013 Pan American junior sprinter Courtney Missick (HJRH/GDT), Darly Francois (TCIP/PLS), Dario Duncan (CHHS/PLS), Dayna Eyma (TCIP/PLS), Edwin Forbes (RGH/ NC), Woodens Corvil (RGH/NC), Dacliche Clervil (HJRH/GDT), Benjamin Frantzley (HJRH/GDT), Lucien Robinson (HJRH/GDT), Randy Rigby (CHHS/PLS), Wodley Jean (HJRH/GDT), Wesley Chery (Panthers/PLS) and Daleovaun Hardware (CHHS/PLS). The females

Courtney Missick, who also represented the TCI at the Pan American Junior Athletics Championships in Colombia last August, is returning to the CARIFTA squad.

2014 National High School Track and Field champion girl Akia Guerrier is one of five females in the squad.

are 2014 National High School Track and Field Championships champion girl Akia Guerrier (BWIC/ PLS), Sansdia Forbes (BWIC/ PLS), Helcyann Sauver (RGH/NC), Jemelia Jackson (MBH/SXC) and

Kadine Delphin (CHHS/PLS).

Information from the TCAAA indicated that the recently concluded High School Track and Field Championships were used to select the squad.

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TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

March 22 - 28, 2014

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March 22 - 28, 2014

TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

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TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS

March 22 - 28, 2014