Weekly News Volume 29 | No. 19 | May 9 - 15, 2015
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Turks and Caicos
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DEVELOPERS TO SUE BANK
Lawyer for the developers of the Caicos Beach Club, Patti Rahl said that the developers of the project will be suing Scotiabank and possibly the Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Happy Mother’s Day Privy Council hears appeals in corruption trial PAGE 4
Deputy Governor exonerated in cruise centre PAGE incident 7
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Beaches moms feted ahead of Mother’s Day this Sunday
Cooper Jack Marina auction in June PAGE 8
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Privy Council hears appeals in corruption trial BY DELANA ISLES THE Privy Council will on Monday and Tuesday (May 11 and 12), hear arguments related to the independence of Justice Paul Harrison and whether the correct standard of proof was applied by the judge in denying ten corruption accused a trial by jury. Judge Harrison is the jurist presiding over the trial of former Premier Michael Misick and nine others, some of whom were a part of his Cabinet while he was Premier. The appellants are questioning whether a judge appointed for a limited period has sufficient security of tenure to be an “independent and impartial court” as required by the Constitution of the TCI and whether on an application in a criminal case for trial by judge alone, there is a standard of proof and, if so, whether it is the criminal standard. The arguments will be heard by Lord Neuberger, Lady Hale, Lord Mance, Lord Kerr, Lord Reed, Lord Hughes, and Lord Toulson. The appellants have employed the services of a Queen’s Counsel, name undisclosed, to represent them at the hearing, along with the local attorney Mark Fulford. On the eve of his departure to the United Kingdom on Wednesday (May 6) to act as junior counsel in the hearing, Fulford spoke with the Weekly News. Asked about the appellants’
chances at the Privy Council, Fulford said that this is an opportunity for a lot of wrongs in the case to be put right. “At the end of the day it is these judges who will judge the judges, and there is a very able panel that is going to be hearing this case and I believe they are going to be looking at it at a very objective standpoint to see what sort of history that has been going on here and whether it makes any sense or not for them to go along with what has been decided or to overturn.” He said that he has faith in the English system, but it is sad that the highest tenets of the English system are not being upheld by those who come from London to practise in the Islands. Asked why he thinks this is, Fulford said: “I believe they view the TCI as some backwater place where whatever goes on here will not get out to the international community. “And because they have the ear of those in Government they can have whatever laws that they want changed in order for them to get the conviction that they want to get.” Questioned about his assertion that the prosecutors have the ear of the Government, Fulford clarified that the prosecutors have had the Government’s ear during the interim administration which caused laws like the trial without a jury law to be passed. Local lawyer Mark Fulford to appear before Privy Council on Monday (May 11) in corruption trial appeal
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 Rebecca Bird - News Editor Delana Isles - Senior Reporter Daisy Handfield - Staff Reporter Faizool Deo - Sports Editor (At Large) Cord Garrido-Lowe - Graphics Consultant (At Large) Dilletha Lightbourne-Williams - Office Manager Email: (Advertising) tcnews@tciway.tc, (News) tcweeklynews@gmail.com Tel. 649-946-4664 (office), 649-232-3508 (after hours) Website address: www.tcweeklynews.com Follow us on: Facebook: facebook.com/tcweeklynews Twitter: twitter.com/tcweeklynews1
However, he added that since being elected to office, the current administration and even the Opposition have given no support for its repeal, most notably when one member of the Government recently made a private member’s bill for its revocation. Meanwhile, the lawyer noted that every Belonger and British subject should note that this process exemplifies the weight and value of citizens’ rights and freedoms under the law. “However, it does not take much to understand the dilemma in which I find myself together with my cocounsels in the representation of these matters.” Fulford noted that what the TCI has experienced in the last five years has caused him the greatest of concern in his legal career as the cases; as they have been arranged for prosecution, seem to fall outside of the tradition of the English legal tradition. “For instance, retroactivity, where you pass a law to criminalise past
conduct is inconsistent with that tradition and moves against clarity or predictability. “Retroactivity is after all, one of the tests used to determine whether a legal system is a valid legal system in jurisprudence.” He added that the right to jury trials is a fundamental feature of English justice, which the UK Prime Minister David Cameron this year confirmed as the unalterable right of every British subject. As such, the lawyer questioned why it is that this right is available to British subjects in the UK and not British subjects in the Turks and Caicos Islands. He stated that the case is about a fundament principle of English justice, which states that all men are equal in the eyes of the law. “And if we are all equal, why has a law been created after the Commission of Inquiry to remove jury trials? “Why is it that only those who are conducting prosecutions stemming from the Commission of Inquiry are
seeking to use the newly created law of juryless trials? “Finally, if serious crimes were committed on the TCI people as the prosecution claims, then why shouldn’t there be a jury comprised of the same TCI people against whom these alleged wrongs are said to have been committed? “After all, is it not the TCI people whom the persons charged are alleged to have done the wrong to?” A decision from the Privy Council is likely within six to eight weeks. A pre-trial hearing and Misick’s specialty arguments will be held on June 30, while trial is set to begin on December 1. The other defendants are Floyd Hall, McAllister Hanchell, Lillian Boyce, Jeffrey Hall, Clayton Greene, Thomas ‘Chal’ Misick, Lisa Hall, Melbourne Wilson and Earlson Robinson. On May 27, 2014, they all pleaded not guilty to the various corruption related offences before Justice Harrison.
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Caicos Beach Club
Caicos Beach Club developer to sue Scotiabank, possibly Government BY DELANA ISLES LAWYER for the developer of the Caicos Beach Club, Patti Rahl said that the developers of the project will be suing Scotiabank and possibly the Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands. In an interview with the Weekly News on Thursday (May 7), the lawyer said that the bank, which foreclosed on the project some time ago and recently auctioned it off to Sailrock, has not honoured her client’s equity as required by the registered Land Ordinance. That lawsuit is currently being worked on, and will come up in a local court sometime soon. On the issue of a possible lawsuit against the Government, Rahl said that the Government is in breach of the development agreement which requires the provision of a working runway and a developed airport. She said they have had many discussions with the Government
over the years about the airport’s development, to no avail. “The Government has an obligation to deliver a working runway and a redeveloped airport. “We have given the Government several notices that we would be open however they never had the money to commence the airport. “In 2011 Governor Wetherell asked us to build the airport because they had no money, and we had made several offers in the past to build the airport, so the crux of this is that there are breaches of the development agreement.” However she said that their offers were eventually rebuffed, and if the developer does decide to sue the Government, this would be one of the topics of the lawsuit. The sale of the Caicos Beach Club came to the public’s attention when the 460 investors/unit owners in the project took to private forums on the internet to express their worry about their investment.
In a subsequent letter to this newspaper, the owners stated that they will be suing the developers for the recovery of their $40 million total investment. Asked about the Sailrock purchase, Rahl said that the deal has not been closed yet, but if the sale closes and the new buyer does not want to honour the contract then they do not have to honour the contract with the owners. She said that the units were bought pre-construction and the money used for construction. She added that the owners knew their money was being used to build the development and if something like a foreclosure occurred, like it did in this instance, there is no protection for them under TCI laws, unless the new owner wants to honour the contract. Asked if she knows what Sailrock intends to do, Rahl said they have not told her what they have decided to do as yet.
Rahl said she has heard about the lawsuit the unit owners have said they are readying to file in the court, but she said there is no money to get as there are no deep pockets because all of the money is in the project. She said she has received no notice from the owners, but has only heard about angry owners on different forums on the internet and calling radio stations. The lawyer added she is happy to speak with anyone. “The unit purchasers collectively put in $40 million in deposits, if $40 million has been invested in the project then there is no fraud or embezzlement or anything like that, we have all the statements with Scotiabank, it’s all above board; people are angry, but their anger is misdirected. “Why have we not been able to refinance the project, is what they should be asking.” She said they were not able to
refinance the project because of the airport. The lawyer said that if the owners would like to join the developer in its lawsuit against the bank and possibly the Government, then they are invited to do so. “We have 490 units, one bedroom one bath or one bedroom two bath hotel that is about two people per unit and just under a 1,000 people per week. “For a period of three years, there were three planes a week to South Caicos, with five seats on those planes so you could take 15 people in and out of South Caicos.” The units were priced from about $280,000 on average, to the $360,000 current price. As for the state of completion of the whole project, Rahl said that on phase one A, the interiors are 94 percent complete and the external work is about 50 percent, on the rest of the building its 60 percent internal and 50 percent external.
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A Weekly News column that puts you on the spot for your opinions on the issues of the day
FSC strides
HEAD of the Financial Services Commission (FSC), Kevin Higgins said that the commission has over the last five years made tremendous strides. He believes that the regulatory and supervisory regime of the organisation is at such a level that the chances of success for another local bank are improved. What are your thoughts?
Nowhere but up!
They had nowhere to go but up! If we do get another local bank, I would want to see the board vetted very, very closely. It cannot be another piggy bank for local politicians. But, why doesn’t Higgins get some real information on British Caribbean Bank before he promotes another bank? Oh yeah! I forgot, it is Lord Ashcroft’s bank.
Depositors need protection
We are in desperate need of depositors’ protection legislation. That is the only way depositors, particularly small depositors, will have confidence in our banking system.
Investigate Higgins and his cronies
Mr Higgins needs to realise that his actions have caused tremendous stress and pain to many poor families whose life savings were lost in TCI Bank and now BAFS. He cannot have a comfortable rest at night knowing that his actions in part have done so much damage. If he does, he is heartless. Look how his countrymen are getting rich off of poor people’s money. What are Higgins’ and KiKi’s ties in the Bahamas? Who is investigating that? Retribution must catch up with Higgins or his descendants. I do not know any other place where all this could have happened. Those involved living happily and holding high paying positions in the land where their actions have caused so many to suffer. This is a blessed land.
Date changes for fisheries meetings A SERIES of town hall meetings to inform interested and affected people of alterations to the Fisheries Protection Ordinance will be held on different days than previously announced. New dates were released in a press release from the Department of Environment and Maritime Affairs (DEMA) on Wednesday (May 5). The meetings will be held at Five Cays Community Centre in Providenciales on Friday (May 8) at 7pm, at the DEMA Office in South Caicos on Monday, May 11, at 7pm, at Adelaide Oemler Primary School in North Caicos on Tuesday, May 12, at 7pm, and at Dillon Hall in Grand Turk on Friday, May 15, at 7pm. The proposed amendments include a ban
on pelagic long-line fishing, gill nets, the taking of sea cucumbers, and commercial export of sharks and rays. There will be a minimum and maximum size restriction for Nassau Grouper, a minimum size for all snapper species, excluding red and black snappers, and a minimum size for bonefish. Regulations will be put in place for the fishing of stone crab and the taking of lionfish. And finally there will be a special licensing requirement for trap boats carrying more than 20 traps, including registration, reporting and trap placement restrictions. Questions or concerns can be directed to DEMA via email at environment@gov. tc or 338-4161.
Little faith in a local bank
All the Canadian banks which have been operating in the Caribbean have massive bad debt in the Caribbean. If their regulatory bodies cannot keep them from making ultimately bad decisions, I question whether ours have the wisdom and experience to prevent another TCI bank failure. When a bank opens in the TCI, there must be huge pressure on them to lend to Belongers, residents and to new developments, which will provide jobs for Belongers. If/when those people/developments fail to pay, for any reason; a bank can find itself in trouble. If a new bank is run by inexperienced, naive or greedy executives, and if the vetting process for any kind of loan is not realistic, I have little faith in a new TCI bank. Perhaps the FSC could publish in layman’s terms the safeguards which they feel will prevent a future bank failure.
Too late now
This is too little too late. When Sandy Lightborne was in charge of the FSC, much was expected due to his extensive experience throughout the Caribbean as a manager for several Barclay’s banks. However under his nose the bank ripped off 4,000 accounts and over $20 million of the people’s pension funds. A total loss. Kevin Higgins is not up to the standard of Sandy.
Better leaders needed
Tremendous strides is a very laudable effort, however, for these efforts to be meaningful to kit and country, the data being reported must be true. Correct and truthful data reporting by the responsible Government agencies of recent times have been and are now still being questioned, especially those coming from and reported by our recently departed/ transferred acclaimed economist who is a part of their described ‘regulatory and supervisory regime of the organisation’. Poverty assessment, S&P ratings declaration with GNP and GDP are all parts of this so-called tremendous strides. Our leaders, the Government and public service, ought to be ashamed of continuing to fool their own people - you, me and us all! It is insanity to do the same thing, wrong, and expect a different result of being wrong. Having the fox watch the henhouse is insane. Leopards don’t and cannot change their spots. Mr Washington Misick is still Mr Washington Misick, and whom do we have in Government finance, is it not Mr Washington Misick? Wake up Turks and Caicos Islands. Smell the coffee. Pick you leaders better.
Incompetent Higgins
Anytime Kevin Higgins brings in someone
from overseas the people get shafted. He just brought in the IMF and now they say he has done a good job? Wait for the other shoe to drop. Higgins has destroyed banking and financial services, this is his legacy. The only strides he has made is buying up out-dated offices in Caribbean Place. And he has wasted the money of the people on lawyers, advisors, useless press releases. He is right though that his regulatory regime would not allow another bank failure because they will all leave under his watch. And no, there is zero chance that another local bank would succeed under Higgins.
What strides?!
The only strides the public can see is an extension of the iron and biased teeth of the FSC. They have taken over the whole of Caribbean Place to add more spies and more inefficiency over the financial services industry. The image of the Turks and Caicos Islands as a well regulated jurisdiction has declined severely under these ‘strides’. We have seen the well-orchestrated killing of a local insurance company, British Atlantic Financial Services. The managing director disrespecting the Minister of Finance. The country has suffered a severe loss of business to other jurisdictions owing to incompetent regulation and heavy handedness that does not follow any rule of law or regulation. Practitioners want to see the FSC gone with its managing director and bad leadership.
Higgins a law unto himself
Kevin Higgins operates as a law and country unto himself. Because he sees himself as a law to himself, no one knows what was before let alone what has changed. This man is dangerous for our industry and the Government doesn’t seem to care. His recent statements on Channel 4 about why he makes more money than the Governor and Premier was down-right insulting. He said people who produce more usually get paid more. Well he has many liquidations under his belt and his involvement with local and foreign liquidators must be investigated. Has anything improved other than his salary? We just don’t know.
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
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Deputy Governor exonerated in cruise centre incident BY DELANA ISLES
DEPUTY Governor, Anya Williams has been cleared of any breach of the code of conduct for persons in public life for an August 7, 2014 incident at the Grand Turk cruise ship centre. The Integrity Commission on Tuesday (May 5) released the findings of the inquiry held on March 17 and May 4. Williams appeared before chairman of the inquiry, Sir David Simmons and commissioners Martin Green, Nick Haywood and Paul Harvey. She was represented by Queen’s Counsel, Ariel Misick while Richard Been represented the Integrity Commission. In its release to the press, the commission noted that since there are related criminal proceedings arising out of the cruise ship centre incident, the commissioners did not take evidence from people who are
likely to be called as witnesses in the proceedings and as far as practicable were careful not to introduce before them evidence which touched or concerned those criminal proceedings. “Having considered all the evidence adduced and hearing submissions from counsel, the commission found that there is no cogent evidence whatsoever of any conduct, whether by commission or omission on the part of the Deputy Governor, which amounts to a contravention of the code of conduct,” the release read. The report of the findings has since been sent to the Deputy Governor and Governor Peter Beckingham. In a statement, released through one of her attorneys Jahmal Misick of Misick and Stanbrook, Williams expressed her satisfaction at being exonerated of any breach of the code of conduct for persons in public life. The statement read: “This finding
Governor lauds new DPP’s experience GOVERNOR Peter Beckingham on Friday, May 1, welcomed the new Director of Public Prosecutions, John Masters to Grand Turk. “I am delighted to welcome John Masters to his new position in TCI. He joins us with over 25 years of experience in public and private prosecution, ranging from work in the UK courts and as a Crown Prosecutor in Cayman Islands, to public and private experience in Australia.” Beckingham noted that as well as bringing his wealth of experience to the TCI and the department, he has no doubt that Masters will also be able to coach and mentor his existing team. “He has already suggested some new and innovative ways of providing more training and experience to his staff, and I look forward to hearing how those proposals work out in the next year,” Beckingham added. Masters replaces JoAnn Meloche of Canada, who resigned earlier this year. The new DPP is a qualified Barrister with 27 years post admission qualification experience in UK, Australia and the Cayman Islands.
followed a full inquiry by the commission. It was our view from the outset that the Deputy Governor never breached the code for all of the reasons set out in the commission’s findings. “Contrary to media reports, the Deputy Governor was not, in any way, present at the incident and was never involved. “Despite the vicious attacks on her and innuendos in certain media circles, the Deputy Governor remained silent whilst the commission carried out its investigation. “The Deputy Governor has always been and will continue to be, astute to follow both the letter and spirit of the code, and to uphold the high ethical standard expected of her.” Williams had formerly been implicated in a situation involving Permanent Secretary of Finance, Athenee Harvey and 25 pieces of luggage. The allegation, against which Harvey will defend herself on July 6 in the Supreme Court, is that she along with other persons disembarked a cruise ship and did not pay customs duties on the luggage brought into the island. Customs officers at the port were never given a chance by the Permanent Secretary to inspect the
Deputy Governor, Anya Williams
luggage to determine how much money was owed. Harvey faces two counts of corruption instituted by the Integrity Commission last year. In the commission’s report, a copy of which was obtained by this publication, commissioners were presented with a copy of Williams’ written statement of August 22, 2014 addressed to Simon Baker, Senior Investigative Officer of the commission, his reply and the Deputy Governor’s response to his. In addition, the commissioners heard oral evidence from the Deputy Governor in answer to questions put to her by counsel and the commissioners. As such, they were satisfied of the following: that on August 7, 2014, the Deputy Governor disembarked the ship at the cruise ship centre and went to her office to attend to correspondence that had come in while she was away from the Islands. Thereafter she went to a salon and then to her home. Later that evening, she returned to the ship. They were also satisfied that at
Under the tree
New Director of Public Prosecutions, John Masters
His areas of practice include proceeds of crime, money laundering, international and domestic asset tracing recovery, fraud, compliance, corporate/ commercial, crime. He has been a Crown Advocate (Barrister) for the Crown Prosecution Service of England and Wales, where he was a training mentor and a national champion of proceeds of crimes for Cambridgeshire and the fraud prosecution service.
no time did Williams speak to the customs officers who boarded the ship; that she had no packages when she disembarked, left the ship with only her handbag and that when she left the ship she was not aware that certain members of her group of travellers “had issues with customs”. They also found that later that day when she was apprised of a dispute between some members of the group and officials of the Customs Department that she had no knowledge of the contents of the individual bags and that she made no request for anyone’s bags to be offloaded. The commissioners reported that Williams remained neutral after she was informed of the issues involving certain passengers and customs officers and that she did not at any time seek to use her position as Deputy Governor to interfere in a matter which involved certain members of her family and officials. Additionally they determined that she had advised aggrieved family members to lodge an official complaint with the commission.
By Benneth Williams
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Finance industry regulator develops action plan
CREATING an annual business plan, meeting with Government officials, and regular consultation with the finance sector are just some of the aims of the Financial Services Commission (FSC). The industry regulator has developed an action plan following the results of an independent investigation which was commissioned by the Governor’s Office last year. Steve Johnson, a former Treasury official and adviser to the overseas territories, visited from the UK to conduct the week-long review in January. In February Governor Peter Beckingham presented the final report to FSC chairman Sir Eroll Allen and managing director Kevin Higgins. Recommendations in the document included better communication with the Government, more staff and an increased online presence. As a result, on April 28 the commission released an official plan which details several objectives along with the physical tasks needed to meet them, success criteria and time frame. Following publication of the plan Higgins said: “Among other things, the financial sector can look forward to a greater level of communication from the commission and more transparency on FSC initiatives
going forward.” Two objectives in the summary list of 12 have already been accomplished. They are increasing directors’ fees so that they are in line with other regulatory bodies and creating standard board paper. The first objective still to be completed is to reinforce the board with addition of a director with insurance expertise. The FSC has given itself an August 1 deadline during which time the managing director and other directors will seek suitable candidates. The next objective is to develop and publish an annual business plan to be completed and approved by January 1, 2016. To do this each department must prepare its input into the business plan showing priorities for the calendar year in question, resources required and laws to be introduced or amended. The commission also plans to appoint a deputy managing director by October 1 this year. The sixth objective is to improve the internal communication process which will include the circulation of memos within two days of a major decision, head of department led industry meetings and regular meetings between the managing director and heads of department. The commission plans to review
fees charged every three to five years, with the first review beginning on August 1 this year. Findings will be presented within 60 days for consideration by the managing director and the board. Another objective is for timely implementation of KRegistry computerised filing and companies corporation registry platform. Meetings with the Minister of Finance will take place regularly, with the first during or before June. And annual briefings with Cabinet will also be a priority with the first set to take place before the end of the year. There will be an increase in frequency of external communication and consultation with finance sector representatives, beginning in June. Heads of departments will meet every three months with their respective industry members and reports will be sent to the managing director within five days of the meetings. The eleventh objective is to standardise industry consultation documents and publicise on the commission’s website from August. And finally the commission plans to make timely payments to the Government with any penalties being published on the website. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY An executive summary of this year’s
review of the FSC explained that the commission had been on a “long journey of development”. “The FSC’s board, management and staff deserve credit for what has been achieved. But there is still work to be done, and change [is] necessary,” it read. Beckingham said he was grateful to Johnson for conducting the thorough and wide-ranging examination, which included consultation with the FSC, business community and Government. “I am pleased he has found the FSC fit for purpose, and in better shape than it used to be.” He continued: “There are some other important areas for the board to examine, including resources and consultation with business and Government. “I look forward to discussing with the board all the recommendations, and agreeing how they might be implemented.” On February 17 Higgins said that he was very pleased with the outcome as the review recognised how much progress had been made in the last five years. “I think this was exceptional. I’m amazed that a British review of an overseas territory could be so positive.” He added that he hoped to have most of the recommendations completed within 90 days.
Governor Peter Beckingham commissioned the review at the end of last year following “background noise from within the financial services sector of criticism and carping about the FSC”. The aim was to provide a brief but incisive analysis of how the commission is performing, and possible areas to consider strengthening. Reviewer Johnson has spent more than 20 years working with the financial services industry and regulators. He was previously secretary to the independent review of British offshore financial services centres known as the ‘Foot review’ and has continued to work with the sector in the UK and in Caribbean overseas territories since publication of the review in 2009. The FSC is an independent statutory body tasked with the supervision of the financial services sector. It is also responsible for the oversight of company formation and registration and is accountable for its performance to the Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands. The commission was established under the Financial Services Commission Ordinance 2001 and continued by the Financial Services Commission Ordinance 2007 to regulate the financial services industry.
Cooper Jack Marina auction in June THE 50 acre Cooper Jack Marina in Providenciales is one of two multi-million dollar properties to be auctioned off this June. Bidders will be able to snap up the development project listed at $30 million in the first super-luxury, multi-destination real estate auction held in the Caribbean. According to a press release on Tuesday (May 5), Avalon Partners, Prestigious Properties and Premiere Estates Auction Company are collaborating to hold the sale on June 18. Grace Lappin, Avalon’s managing director and agent with Prestigious, said: “Commercial developers and investors have an unprecedented opportunity here. This property is going to sell very quickly.” Cooper Jack Marina is a 50-acre ocean-front, mixed-use hotel, resort, and residential marina development site located on the lee-side of Providenciales with over 8,000 feet
of shoreline. The 80 foot wide entrance channel provides easy unobstructed access and this harbour is tucked in the lee of 100 foot Cooper Jack Hill. It offers one of the safest harbours between Nassau and Puerto Rico and it is a port of entry for vessels up to 140 feet. Also for sale is Bolton Bank in Belize – a 4,000 acre river and sea-front mixed-use resort hotel, residential and commercial development. After global marketing and a buyer hunt has been concluded, potential buyers will be invited to bid for these spectacular properties at the auction on or before June 18. Ed Kaminsky, president of Premiere Estates Auction Company, said: “Buyers should take advantage of the value proposition presented at auction. “The sellers of these offerings are motivated for sale, and will accept
Cooper Jack Marina in Providenciales is up for auction in June
market value for these investment development opportunities. “If a development in the Caribbean basin has been on your radar, this is the time to run – not walk – to our auction.”
Providenciales recently scored as the Number One Island in the World for 2015, voted by millions of TripAdvisor travellers. And Grace Bay beach has continuously been ranked Best Beach
by Conde Nast Travel magazine and the World Travel Awards. Avalon Partners is a boutique real estate advisory and brokerage continued
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NEWS
TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS
Raising the family A moment of silence for JAGS Islands’ profile McCartney
By Governor Peter Beckingham The following article is reproduced from Governor Peter Beckingham’s blog on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website. THERE can be few more enjoyable occupations on a Saturday morning than strolling along Grand Turk’s Front Street, past some of the exquisite old buildings like the wonderfully named ‘Ebenezer’ 7th Day Adventist Church and the 19th century home which now houses the national museum. These great reminders of Grand Turk’s history are all set against a turquoise blue sea like nowhere else and a beach to die for. The other Saturday about 25 of us assembled to mark Earth Day with a clean-up of Front Street. It didn’t take more than 90 minutes to gather between us about 60 large bags of garbage, all collected within a radius of about a mile and along the side of the street and the beach. Imagine how much more we could have collected with just double the volunteers! Perhaps the organisers next year need help to promote the clean-up, as I met residents of Grand Turk subsequently who didn’t know about it. The numbers for a clean-up in Providenciales were certainly more, including no less than 40 members of the Cadet Corps. The need for clean ups are certainly not unique to Turks and Caicos: the local park in England where I jog is often littered with beer cans and food wrappers at the weekend after teenagers’ nights out, and the wonderful beaches of the Philippines and India can be hairraisingly full of plastic garbage. Despite the on-going need to keep our Islands clean – which requires far more than one off events like Earth Day – it is a fantastic achievement that Providenciales has been named Trip Advisor’s Number One Island Destination – not just in the Caribbean but globally! Like many others have said, we should bask in the glory, and do everything we can to keep that spot, including getting the roads and paths to the stunning Grace Bay beach far
Governor Peter Beckingham
cleaner than they are. But I also believe that we all – Government, opposition, the Tourist Board, the Hotel and Tourism Association – should be doing much more than we are to promote Grand Turk and our other great family island destinations. I’ve been doing my little bit, by for example encouraging some of the most senior private investors in Providenciales, who in some cases are heads of global corporations, to come over to Grand Turk for a day to see its charms. I urged the head of the IMF delegation this month to taste Grand Turk’s great diving opportunities. I was delighted that an Indian visitor I knew opted to have a week crashing out in North Caicos, rather than the obligatory week in a condo on Grace Bay. It’s astonishing how many long term expatriate residents of Providenciales alone I meet who have still not taken the 25 minute plane ride to see the nation’s capital. Word of mouth can do so much to encourage more visitors. So I hope that we will all do more to put the family islands on the map. I look forward to visiting all of them for the third or fourth time in the next few weeks, not only to catch up with friends and colleagues and the local schools there but also to talk about how we can raise their profile, and the wonderful destinations they are. I see no reason why the Tourist Board shouldn’t be aiming to get Grand Turk, or one of the other islands, in Trip Advisors Top Ten Island destinations!
Cooper Jack Marina ... continued
firm. It represents both buyers and sellers of unique, luxurious, residential, investment, and commercial properties in New York, the Caribbean, and Central America Prestigious Properties is the oldest independent real estate brokerage company in the TCI. And Premiere Estates Auction
Company and its corporate family of companies are nationwide leaders in high-end luxury real estate auctions, real estate marketing, and brokerage sales. More information about the property and the auction is available from Grace Lappin at (212) 7175477, (649) 432-4158, or email at info@avalonpartnersltd.com or grace@prestigiousproperties.com.
THE PEOPLE’S Democratic Movement (PDM) on Monday (May 4) observed a moment of silence for the PDM former leader and first Chief Minister of the Turks and Caicos Islands James Alexander George Smith McCartney (JAGS). This year marks the 35th year since McCartney tragically died in a plane crash in New Jersey on May 9, 1980. At a press briefing to update the public on the events planned for the party’s 40th anniversary, party leader, Sharlene Cartwright Robinson asked members present to observe a moment of respectful silence to reflect on the life and times of the Turks and Caicos Islands’ only recognised national hero to date. She said: “We are committed to reminding the people of this country of his life, his legacy and to observe his death and to pause to bring to our remembrance that sad day that many still mourn today. “We must never let the memory of this great man stay buried and 35 years later, the tragic and sudden
James Alexander George Smith McCartney (JAGS)
demise of our party’s first leader still haunts this nation and many still mourn his passing.” She added that the party remains committed to the late leader’s vision which very simply put is for a better Turks and Caicos, with justice, freedom and equality for all.
MILLS MUSES
Change our thoughts: Change our politics WE GROW up in a society which socialises us into beliefs which we accept as the way things are. These determine our personality. When we become more mature we have to change our behaviours since they prevent us from realising our true selves and benefitting from more wholesome relationships within our community. This is being political. When we change our thoughts, we therefore change our political behaviour. Some of us remain stuck with certain beliefs, because we refuse to examine them to see if they are still valid. This causes problems for us and our society. For example, some politicians have unexamined beliefs about the economy. They feel that encouraging investment creates growth and jobs. But investment sometimes causes divisions. There is a small group of beneficiaries and a large group of the needy. Jobs are created but somehow locals do not seem to benefit to the extent they should, since the terms allow entrepreneurs to choose the type of labour and where it comes from. For example, in one Caribbean country investors bought an existing property. When refurbishing it they asked the government’s permission to
BY Oliver Mills
Oliver Mills was born in South Caicos, acquired a diploma in article writing from the Writer’s Digest School in the United States, and worked as training manager for the Turks and Caicos public service. He is currently an adjunct lecturer in the Business and Hospitality Departments at the Turks and Caicos Islands Community College.
bring in 300 finishers since there was no one with these skills locally. Even if this were the case, a change in the thinking of the government about the purpose of the project would have enabled it to realise it needed to change its political beliefs concerning its implications. Since it didn’t, it was faced with local complaints of not being part of the process which would later have electoral consequences. A change in thinking would have also alerted the government to the need to train its people to benefit from the new possibilities and so change the politics to the government’s benefit. Some individuals after being in government for some time become arrogant. Their unexamined thinking causes them to feel that what they say goes. There is the case of a politician who said: “I say what I mean, and I mean what I say.”
Another said: “My way or the highway.” There is yet another who objected to a senior public official attending a meeting to discuss departmental issues. This implies the politician knows best. But a change in thinking would bring an awareness of the need to change their political behaviour, by involving others in decisions. This fosters respect and trust. Again, politicians have a tendency to place their supporters on different boards without determining their competence in the particular areas. Here, false thinking replaces enlightened politics. A thought change will reveal that good politics requires having the best and brightest people to serve. Thoughtful politics brings desired outcomes which are wholesome.
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Health sector in the spotlight
THE COUNTRY’s health sector was analysed and discussed during a comprehensive workshop this week. The five day event, which welcomed visiting expert Dr Ramon Figueroa, was organised to help create a new healthcare strategy. Prior to the event Wesley Clerveaux, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Health and Human Services, said: “The overarching goal is to lay the foundation for the development of a National Health Sector Strategic Plan in partnership with all key stakeholders that will guide the achievement of our vision of a healthier and empowered people at every stage of development in communities conducive to healthy living.” Dr Ramon Figueroa is the Director of the Policy Analysis and Planning Unit in the Ministry of Health, Belize, and former health systems and services advisor to PAHO/WHO
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in Barbados. Dr Figueroa joined the Ministry of Health, Agriculture and Human Services, Government departments and health sector stakeholders to discuss the future of the sector in the TCI. According to a Government press release on Tuesday (May 5), the new National Health Sector Strategic Plan will build upon the five pillars established in the 2006 Health Care Renewal Strategy. They are to improve the local delivery of secondary and tertiary care services by construction of two hospitals, upgrade the primary healthcare system, develop a healthy lifestyles initiative and establish a National Health Insurance Plan (NHIP) as a health financing mechanism. The last pillar is to enact health sector regulatory mechanisms including the formation of a Health
Regulatory Authority (HRA), which would govern and monitor many aspects of the healthcare delivery process. This week’s consultation aimed to review and validate the strategic direction of the TCI health sector. Attendees also discussed and analysed the health system structure so as to ensure it meets the defined goals of the TCI health sector. They reviewed and validated the vision, mission and core values of the TCI health sector. The week also gave them the opportunity to review proposed strategic objectives and develop medium term objectives (outcomes), define strategies to achieve these outcomes, and define indicators to monitor and evaluate achievements. And finally they ensured the TCI Health Sector Strategic Plan is aligned and poised to achieve universal health coverage over time.
Waiting on electrical inspection Dear Editor, Several weeks ago I visited the office of the Electrical Inspector here in Providenciales to seek the requirement with regards to some electrical upgrade for a client, and I was told when I am finished he will come and do the inspection. I also learned of the great difficulties he has in carrying out inspections due to lack of transportation and how he has to share transportation with the inspectors from the Planning Department. It has been two weeks since I had completed the work and made a written request for inspection and he has not reached yet, even though he promised to do so in several telephone conversations. He can also look out of his office window and see the place he needs to inspect.
If my family were supposed to have eaten based on him doing this inspection they would have died due to starvation; another sad fact is probably my client will lose the customers that were only waiting on electricity to move in. But who in authority cares a chicken feather about us or people who are doing the best they can in these difficult times to survive? It’s sad when you have people going over and beyond the call of duty to help another and the authorities do nothing to encourage such a spirit, but kill it. I pray that God in heaven will act without delay in changing the hearts and spirit of such that are in authority in our beloved country. Sincerely, Jonathan (Johnnie) Gardiner
General street and neighbourhood cleaning Dear Editor, In the spirit of love for our beautiful by nature Turks and Caicos Islands, we hereby would like to inform you that we will organise a clean-up day all around Providenciales on May 9. As members of the community we realise it is our responsibility to take good care of our environment and our beautiful by nature Turks and Caicos Islands. As we did last year we would like to do it even bigger and better this year. Therefore, we would like to
inform you and also ask for your full support to help us make this a reality. On Saturday (May 9) from 6.30am to 2.30pm, we will try to clean every street and yard in Providenciales with a team of volunteers from the Haitian community. Everyone is encouraged to clean his neighbourhood and beyond. Thus, we request your full support in any way you can. Yviol Louis Jeune, Providenciales
PDM convention bill board unveiled on Tuesday as the party gets ready to celebrate 40 years of existence
PDM celebrates 40th this June
THE PEOPLE’S Democratic Movement (PDM) will on June 4 celebrate its 40th anniversary and convention with four days of celebration in Grand Turk. This year, the celebration is being held under the theme ‘one people, one destiny, one movement’ and will conclude on June 7. On Thursday, June 4, there will be a candle light vigil at the
National Heroes memorial park to kick start the celebrations, and on Friday the Legends Ball to honour early freedom fighters and frontline people will be held in the Junkanoo Club. On Saturday there will be the elections of party officers and other party business being conducted. During that same evening, the PDM will mark the 40th
anniversary of the Junkanoo Club incident with a street party at the Junkanoo Club. On Sunday the party members will attend a church service. As part of its celebration, the party will also be hosting a series of public meetings on the grounds of their headquarters. All supporters are invited to participate in the events.
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
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More focus on renewable energy and family islands - Governor RECENT accolades should not result in complacency across the TCI, Governor Peter Beckingham insisted this week. Instead the country should look to make further improvements such as increase the focus on renewable energy and the family islands. The Governor was talking on Tuesday (May 5) during a meeting of the TCI Hotel and Tourism Association. It followed Providenciales being named Number One Island in the World for 2015 by TripAdvisor. A press release from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) detailed his motivational speech. “The TripAdvisor award, and the record tourism figures are above all a tribute to everyone engaged in the tourism industry, from resort owners to cleaning staff,” Beckingham said. “But no one should be under any doubt that the demands on us will get ever harder, and the competition tougher. “We need to take a careful look at both our internal procedures, as well as a number of measures which directly affect visitors.” He said that he was well aware that the tourism industry is still not happy with the work permit system, particularly that applications take too long. “I am pleased to hear, following a recent meeting with businesses, that the Ministry of Border Control still plans to improve the process.” The Governor also encouraged the tourism industry and the Government to be bold in its decision making about alternative energy. “All the energy experts who visit TCI say that we must start to advance the use of alternative sources of energy. “If not they say we will quickly get left behind by other Caribbean countries, not to mention the rest of the world, and be in a position where we price ourselves out of the market compared to countries like Aruba, which are way ahead of us in their use of alternative energy.” Finally Beckingham encouraged the tourism industry and the Government to do even more to promote the family islands, and to be more welcoming to visitors. “I am constantly struck by how seldom visitors get beyond Grace Bay,” he said. “I can understand that the typical three to four day American visitor may not have the urge to travel after arriving in Providenciales. “But Grand Turk and the other family islands need to receive a higher profile, and as a result get more visitors than the tiny proportion they receive of stay-over tourists.” He said that he will be interested
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Governor Peter Beckingham
to see how the Tourism Board proposes to spend its increased budget this year. “I also would like to see an even more welcoming approach to visitors at Providenciales airport. “They are literally the lifeblood of the prosperity or otherwise of everyone in the Turks and Caicos Islands. “The heads of the public service and Government departments, as well as the management of the Airport Authority, need to be constantly asking themselves whether there are ways to make the TCI welcome better than it is. “There is still some way to go.”
REAL TALK
TCI students and parents need an attitude adjustment I HAVE been told in the past that I am too hard on parents and students when it comes to education, and maybe I am. However, when I see the attitude many of our TCI youths have towards their education, I can’t help myself from putting pressure on parents and students to get an attitude adjustment. If you speak to many teachers around this country, they will tell you a common problem among many of the indigenous students of this country - they have poor attitude towards their school work. They take the opportunity to learn for granted and their work output is not parallel to their dreams and ambitions. Many teachers have to spend more time dealing with rude behaviour, disrespect and insubordination than actually teaching skills and concepts. Teachers can forget about calling parents to address the situation, because when they arrive it’s “my child versus the teacher”. Parents, this attitude is a formula for disaster. Even worse is the situation in which parents speak negatively
By Jas Walkin
BIOGRAPHY: Jas was born with a physical disability and diagnosed with a mild form of muscular dystrophy. His early childhood was characterised with trying to fit in in a regular school environment unequipped to cater to special needs students. With support from family, teachers and the community he graduated as valedictorian of Raymond Gardiner High School and has been a graduate teacher for the past last nine years.
about the teacher in the presence of the child. What do you think is going to happen when a student knows their rudeness and negative attitude is supported by their parents? What I find even more baffling is that some of these same parents are complaining about the foreign students excelling over their students in school. Do you want to know why they are doing better in school? They are doing better in school because their attitudes are better and their parents are more involved in their education. During my teaching career, most of the students who have excelled in academics were not exceptionally gifted, but disciplined and focus. Their focus was not the latest gadgets, hairstyle, fashion trend or public image. They realised that
success has no room for rudeness, excuses and downright laziness. Yes I said it. Too many students of in country are lazy and unconcerned about their academic achievements and their parents are satisfied with their mediocrity. If TCI parents want to continue demanding more opportunities for their children, they had better start getting more involved in their child’s life and demand more positive results from them. I don’t know how long the Government’s policy of reserving certain employment and educational benefits for Belongers is going to last in a country where the economy is expanding, its Belonger population is not growing and its current generation is underachieving.
COMMENTARY
A lost point, over Cooked WE TUNED in late to the Conrad Howell show when Howell interviewed Trevor Cooke, the National Chairman of the ‘progressive’ party. Trevor is one of those folks who can turn a simple point into thousands of words. His point gets lost, over Cooked. It appeared that Cooke was trying to cover up disagreements in his party between ministers and the Premier. Rifts the people have seen first-hand. Example: a disastrous public press conference, then Health Minister Porsha lost her portfolio. Here at the Middle Caicos clinic affair Porsha was on the programme to speak, but when called on she refused. People saw the rift. Then in the afternoon George Lightbourne, the former Works Minister, appeared at the town hall meeting but George did not address any of the people’s questions. He spoke not one word
in the two hour meeting. Before the meeting he was shifted from his ministry. People saw the rift. Now Amanda is in charge of George’s affairs…Amanda! Did we elect this Premier to shift ministers around until they find some post they can handle? Some are at their third post in less than two and a half years! The Cooke interview was interesting because he claimed the title of ‘PNP King Maker,’ saying he guides others selecting who will lead. God, save us! He also acknowledged that the flow of funds from the 2003 to 2009 Government into certain people’s personal pockets will never happen again. Cooke as leader of NIB transferred $23.5 million of the people’s paid pension funds into the private bank chaired by his King Washy. The $23.5 million is gone, the personal funds of 4,000 families, gone, and the bank is gone. Cooke now says political parties
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
have to benefit all the people. Is Cooke’s point another PNP farce because Washy has already restored Cooke to the National Insurance Board? PNP chairman Cooke said he wants all the people of the TCI to be united. We have heard this before and failed to understand it. We love our neighbours and friends who have many political persuasions. Daily life has nothing to do with politics. You cannot find a dime’s worth of difference between the manifestos of the two parties. However the PDM kept us out of debt and brought in
development. Trevor’s party and kings poisoned development and got us so deeply in debt it will take 20 more years to pay it off. The TCI, due to Trevor’s PNP, is seriously overcooked! During the British interim government we travelled to London on a political mission which included Conrad Howell. This vocal TCI mouthpiece for the PNP did the George and Porsha act before the British folks responsible for things TCI. We remember he had virtually nothing to say!
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Dick Zebo passes away THE SAD passing of Middle Caicos developer, Richard F Zebow, also known as Dick, on Tuesday (May 5) has rocked the community. Zebo succumbed to an unexpected heart attack in the USA on Tuesday night. He was also reportedly battling cancer. The well liked and popular Pennsylvanian was active in Middle Caicos for well over 30 years buying and developing property in the Bambarra area. He built, rented and sold several houses, the latest a duplex apartment on the main road near Bambarra, this publication has learned. At the time of his demise, Zebo was resident in Naples, Florida. People who were at the last town hall meeting in the sister island, including the Weekly News’ columnist David Tapfer, recalled seeing Zebo at the event. Tapfer said the now deceased man spoke out on behalf of Middle Caicos’ issues before Minister of Border Control and Employment, Don-Hue Gardiner, Premier Rufus Ewing and Minister of Home Affairs, George Lightbourne at the Conch Bar community centre meeting. On his Facebook page, Tapfer recalled some fond memories of Zebo. “We remember our first meeting with Dick Zebo back in the 1980s when Sam Harvey introduced us right here in Middle Caicos. “Like so many entrepreneurs Dick was special, very active and sometimes you could not understand what he was up to. “Zebo was the first person to crack the door of Middle Caicos open. He
recognised the opportunity here and like everyone on the island waited impatiently for the causeway. He celebrated its opening and mourned its damage as we all did. “Dick started the ball rolling here on the largest most beautiful island and that ball has been rolling slowly as expats recognise what Dick saw and what the Government of the last dozen years continues to ignore. “Now the native Middle Caicos Islanders are leaving us one by one. A husband dies and a mother moves to Provo or the USA to live with children. These are the events that reoccur every day. “From the heyday of Lorimers being the largest settlement in the TCI back in the 1930s to now battling Salt Cay for the position of the smallest native population. “More than half the population of the TCI can trace their roots to Middle Caicos. It is a great place to raise children and to just cool out. “So many from Middle would love to move home if development would happen. Dick Zebo tried with limited resources to be the spark plug that set it in motion. “Zebo was a pioneer and will long be remembered. Someone needs to name a road after him. “Middle Caicos will never forget you Dick and we find it interesting that you made Naples Florida your US base right near the Half a Creek developer.” Other words of condolence flowed in from friends to the family over social media this past week. Zebo is believed to be survived by his wife and a son.
Richard Zebo
International School sees dramatic boost in reading
THE INTERNATIONAL School of the TCI has just successfully completed another ‘Codebreakers’ reading programme aiming specifically at improving children’s reading ability. According to a press release from the Leeward-based school, it has annually used this approach of focused reading intervention and has seen significant progress in children’s reading skills. Reading ages increased from five to 30 months in just six weeks. Eighteen children participated in the programme with the impressive average increase of reading age of eight and a half months. Codebreakers is a name for an intensive reading practice at school and home where children learn to ‘break the code’ of the written word. Principal Katie Hinks said that between the ages of five and seven most children go through
an extraordinary transformation as readers. She said: “Success at this stage can be crucial to success in later years. As such, it is paramount for children to secure their reading skills as their further learning is based on this skill.” Hinks said that they have just completed their Codebreakers programme and saw incredible improvements in the reading age test results which increased from five to 30 months in six weeks, with an impressive average increase of reading age of eight and a half months. “The majority of the children made improvements in all reading skills; this provides a firm foundation for their success through their school years. “Moreover, the children became more motivated to read and increase their confidence in their reading
ability,” Hinks said. The aim of the programme is to provide rigorous, structured, systematic instruction that is delivered on a daily basis in addition to the child’s regular classroom instruction. The reading programme usually takes place over a six week time period every year. Each day children read twice at school one-on-one for 15 to 25 minutes minimum with their teacher, a parent volunteer and at home with a family member. The child’s reading age is measured at the beginning of the term and the teacher determines if the child needs an extra reading boost. They receive additional reading practice in the six week time frame, focusing on phonics, reinforcing skills learned in class and on a oneto-one basis.
Digicel launches Top Up app in US and Caribbean TELECOMMUNICATIONS company Digicel recently announced the official launch of its convenient Top Up App which delivers a fast, reliable and convenient way for customers to send minutes abroad. The new top up app also allows customers in the Caribbean to top up their own phones really easily too. According to the press release from the company, customers abroad have been calling for the launch of an easy, convenient way to top up family and friends at home, and Digicel has delivered on that call, providing a convenient, fast and reliable way to stay connected. There are no transaction fees when sending minutes via the Digicel Top Up App. “The response from our customers has been overwhelming,” CEO of Digicel Diaspora Declan Cassidy said. “Since our initial soft launch
in November last year, we have over 200,000 downloads and our customers continue to tell us how the app fits their lifestyle – topping up themselves or sending top up to family in the Caribbean on-the-go no matter where they are, or what time it is.” Digicel is also launching an integrated advertising campaign to ensure customers are benefiting from the great features of the app. The radio ads feature Jamaican songbird, Tessanne Chin, whimsically interacting with Caribbean nationals highlighting the various situations in which they can send minutes conveniently. French and Haitian Creole versions of the radio ads have also been produced and feature popular Haitian compas band, Carimi. The Digicel Top Up App is a free mobile application and is available for download in iTunes and Google Play.
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Mental illness does Captains cautioned not equal violence to take care during THE VAST majority of people with mental illnesses do not pose a threat of violence towards themselves and others. That’s the word from the Department of Mental Health and Substance Dependence (DMHSD) which issued a statement on Monday (May 4) on the stigma surrounding the mentally ill. Director of the DMHSD Dr Alicia Malcolm said: “While studies suggest a link between mental illnesses and violence, the contribution of people with mental illnesses to the overall rates of violence is still very small.” Major determinants of violence continue to be socio-demographic and economic factors, including age, gender and low socio-economic bracket, the release read. Other factors that interact to produce violence also include substance abuse or dependence, a history of violence or physical abuse, and recent stressors such as losing a job, getting divorced, or being a victim of crime. There is also an increased
possibility that someone with a mental illness may be violent if they are not accessing mental health services or complying with treatment. Dr Malcolm explained that for people experiencing symptoms of a psychotic illnesses such as frightening hallucinations and delusions as well as paranoia, there is a small chance they may become violent when they are scared and misinterpret what is happening around them. The department advises the public that if a mentally ill person is encountered and they appear to be aggressive or violent, they should maintain a calm demeanour and not overreact. Doing so could cause the individual’s behaviour to escalate. They should also stay out of arms reach, avoid arguing or getting into a power struggle and call for help. Family members and caregivers of mentally ill people should encourage their loved one to comply with their treatment regimen and follow-up regularly with their doctor.
Also, they should immediately report any noticeable changes in their behaviour to a mental health professional. According to the release, many people with even the most serious of mental illnesses can and do recover. They can manage their conditions and go on to lead happy, healthy, productive lives. “As a community, we must embrace persons with mental illnesses for who they are - normal human beings experiencing a difficult time who need your open mind, caring attitude, and helpful support,” the release read. “Remember, mental illness is not a choice and could happen to anybody.” More information on caring for someone who is mentally ill and post traumatic counselling is available at the Department of Mental Health and Substance Dependence. People can contact the Grand Turk office on 338-3613, Providenciales on 338-4737, South Caicos on 3386301 or visit www.facebook.com/ tcidmhsd.
festival ferrying
A LARGE annual festival taking place in Salt Cay this weekend has prompted the Government to issue cautions to boat captains transporting guests. The Salt Cay Community Pay Back Festival is being held on Saturday (May 9) and is expected to attract a huge crowd, many boating in from Grand Turk. A press release from the Department of Environment and Maritime Affairs on Tuesday (May 5) listed several safety precautions. “Safety first! Please consider your safety and that of those around you,” the release read. It advised boat captains not to
overload vessels when moving between islands to reach the event. “Please do not drink alcohol and handle a vessel as this puts you, those on your vessel and others in the water at serious risk,” it continued. It also stressed the importance of all passengers aboard the vessel wearing life jackets, operating at a safe speed and being respectful of buoys and other navigational aids. “DEMA asks that for your safety, as well of those in your vessel and in the water, that you adhere to these basic boating rules to ensure a safe and satisfactory day at the festival.”
Beaches TCI celebrates Mother’s Day all weeklong
Beaches moms feted ahead of Mother’s Day this Sunday BEACHES TCI this past week hosted a week of activities to honour the mothers in the resort company’s employ. According to press agent for the local arm of the company, Elanor Finfin Krzanowski, this is the first time the company has put so much emphasis on Mother’s
Day. “This year we thought we would step it up and make it a weeklong celebration. “This was our trial year and we thought that we had a great response, so yes we look forward to having it next year and many years to come.”
The 769 female employees at the company all participated in a special photoshoot on Thursday (May 7) where professional group photos were taken. They wore pink shirts with the slogan ‘Beaches celebrates Women’s Week 2015’. The tagline of the shirts was
‘Celebrating and appreciating women’. Some of the weeklong activities included a prayer devotion service, a health fair, a barbecue, ice-cream and cake day as well as the general manager’s lunch. At the health fair the women had the opportunity to speak one on one
with gynaecologist Joanna Bowden, chiropractor Dr Lise Cloutier and registered dietician Tamika Handfield. Other activities planned for mothers leading up to Sunday’s special day include a dinner hosted by Sister Sister this Friday (May 8).
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Provo based adventurer donates money to National Trust BY DAISY HANDFIELD A CHEQUE for $2,200 was donated to the National Trust by resident adventurer, John Galleymore to assist with the trust’s work at the Cheshire Hall Plantation in Providenciales. Galleymore managed to raise a total of $5,000 during his recent walk and swim around the Islands, which is being split between two charities. A press conference was held at the Cheshire Hall Plantation site
on Wednesday (May 6) to present a cheque to Executive Director of the National Trust, Ethlyn GibbsWilliams. The money will go towards funding upcoming projects. Gibbs-Williams said that she was delighted to receive the donation because the trust is very much in need of the funds due to the fact that they did not receive anticipated funds from the Government this financial year.
Executive director for the National Trust, Ethlyn Gibbs-Williams, receives cheque donation from Provo based adventurer, John Galleymore
“Right now Cheshire Hall is in need of funds to help with the guided tours that we are doing and I would like this donation to go strictly towards the work that the National Trust is doing at Cheshire Hall Plantation.” The Executive Director said that the trust carries out a lot of environmental education which includes working with schools, teachers and preparing teaching aids as well as lessons for children. “We have a programme where we do visits every quarter to the schools throughout the Islands, but because of limited resources we have kind of been restricted to Providenciales for the time being. We hope to go to the other islands pretty soon.” In addition to environmental education, the trust also identifies historical sites and tries to raise funds to preserve the structures. She said that a lot of research takes place to inform residents and visitors on the importance of these structures that are located around the Islands. “Particularly the Caicos Islands, that depicts the story of cotton era, the loyalists who came down from certain states in America and set up the plantations and that’s what we have, that’s part of our tangible heritage today,” Gibbs-Williams said. The trust needs about $300,000 to $350,000 per year to operate in a manner where they can pay attention to all of the sites under their agreement, she added. “We are looking to increase those fees because we recently carried out additional work which cost [money]. “So to recuperate those costs and have trained staff on the site, we need to raise the fees to keep going,” Gibbs-Williams said.
Youth centre to host fifth annual beach bonfire By Daisy Handfield
ONCE again the Edward C Gartland Youth Centre will be hosting its popular beach hang out in Providenciales this Saturday (May 9). The annual bonfire and barbecue, which is in its fifth year, will be held on the Bay Bistro beach in Grace Bay from 7pm to 10pm. The much anticipated fete is held to raise funds for the centre’s continued good work with young people in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Attendees will be able to enjoy appetisers, the delicious buffet, desserts and a cash bar with drink
specials. Director of the centre Roxann Wake-Forbes said that apart from raising funds, the event will raise awareness. It will showcase a lot of talents that the centre has helped the students develop. “We encourage everyone to come down and purchase a ticket; you won’t be disappointed,” WakeForbes said. “The importance of extracurricular activities to young people is that it helps them develop. “It is actually an extremely valuable asset to have on your resume when you are applying for college and university.”
Wake-Forbes added that the centre in Downtown Providenciales ultimately is a safe place for children instead of having them being idle and wandering around. During the event people will be able to bid to win in the raffle, there will also be a silent auction and lots of fun and games like limbo, hula hoop and hitting the piñata to win several grand prizes. Attendees that wear Hawaiian shirts have a chance to win more prizes. DJ Viper will provide live entertainment along with a special performance by the popular and talented Fire Dancer.
The trust is also looking to increase the fee for guided tours to continue their mandate. In brief comments, Galleymore said that the generous donation was a way to help the trust highlight the natural beauty that the TCI has to offer. “I wanted to kind of spread the word that there is so much more to the Turks and Caicos than just Grace Bay. “People who come here to visit and spend money should get out to the outer islands and explore the natural beauty and the history that we have here and incorporate that into their vacation as well.” The 47-year-old adventurer’s
mission started on February 11 in South Caicos and ended on February 15, on Grace Bay beach. Named ‘Operation South Caicos, Over Land, Providenciales’ (SCOLP), the documented five day journey included walking and swimming. Galleymore walked the coastlines of Plandon, Middle Creek, McCartney, East, Joe Grant, Dickish, then onto Wild Cow Run, where he swam from Lorrimers Dock, before walking the 34 miles to Sandy Point. He then walked to Parrot Cay, Dellis Cay, Fort George, Pine Cay, Water Cay, and Little Water Cay before swimming the Leeward channel and finishing in Grace Bay.
Child and mother By Eugene Field
O mother-my-love, if you’ll give me your hand, And go where I ask you to wander, I will lead you away to a beautiful land,-The Dreamland that’s waiting out yonder. We’ll walk in a sweet posie-garden out there, Where moonlight and starlight are streaming, And the flowers and the birds are filling the air With the fragrance and music of dreaming. There’ll be no little tired-out boy to undress, No questions or cares to perplex you, There’ll be no little bruises or bumps to caress, Nor patching of stockings to vex you; For I’ll rock you away on a silver-dew stream And sing you asleep when you’re weary, And no one shall know of our beautiful dream But you and your own little dearie. And when I am tired I’ll nestle my head In the bosom that’s soothed me so often, And the wide-awake stars shall sing, in my stead, A song which our dreaming shall soften. So, Mother-my-Love, let me take your dear hand, And away through the starlight we’ll wander, Away through the mist to the beautiful land, The Dreamland that’s waiting out yonder.
16 NEWS
TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS
May 9 - 15, 2015
Caribbean Cruising gets go ahead for Provo to North hovercraft CABINET has approved an application by Caribbean Cruising Ltd to operate a hovercraft/ferry service between Providenciales and North Caicos. The announcement was made by Premier Rufus Ewing on Thursday (May 7) during a post Cabinet press conference. The application was granted for the company to operate in a restricted business category in accordance with the Business Licensing (Amendment) Regulations 2014. Meanwhile also discussed in the Wednesday Cabinet meeting in Providenciales was the level of non-compliance within the reserved and restricted business licence categories. It was agreed that the revenue
commissioner should establish a task force to develop a strategy to increase compliance with business licensing requirements. The strategy will include regular reporting to Cabinet. Cabinet also noted a number of waivers to the procurement ordinance made in accordance with Section 21(1) and Section 21(12) of the said ordinance. These include purchase of vehicles for vector control and additional chemicals to assist in stopping the spread of dengue and chikungunya and PPE and medical supplies to assist in preventing the threat of Ebola. Cabinet also received and discussed a report from the Premier confirming that a TCI Canada
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friendship working group has been established. The purpose of the working group is to work in partnership with the Canadian Government to develop inter-governmental strategic policies to serve the mutual interests of both countries. A delegation from the TCI headed by Don-Hue Gardiner, Minister of Border Control and Labour, will travel to Ottawa on May 26 to advance discussions in areas such as finance and taxation, law enforcement, parliamentary engagement, public private partnerships (PPP), trade and commerce and education. Additionally, Governor Peter Beckingham was advised to make an order under the Telecommunications Tax
Ordinance 2009 to vary the rate on such taxes as are associated with voice services over fixed lines from twelve per centum zero per centum. He was further advised to approve amendments to the Business Licensing (Amendment) Regulations 2015 and Business Licensing Order, Section 29. The amendments remove the categories of Financial Brokerage and Financial Services on the basis that these categories are currently regulated by the Financial Services Commission. Cabinet also advised Beckingham to approve the reappointment of the following members to the Physical Planning Board for the period May 1, 2015 to March 31, 2016 - Burkley Malcolm, chairman; Rico Smith, vice chairman; Marvin Simmons, member; Russell Garland, member; Director of Planning; Director in the Department of Environment and Marine Affairs and Director of Disaster Management and Emergencies. Further appointments, which the Governor was advised
to make, include Permanent Secretary, Infrastructure, Housing and Planning, chairman; Chief Environmental Health Officer, exofficio member; Chief Engineer/ Director PWD, ex-officio member; Director of Planning, ex-officio member; Director of Environment and Coastal Resources, ex-officio member; Chief Economist, exofficio member; Energy and Utilities Commissioner, ex-officio member; Alan Dickenson, member; Emerson Hall, member. These people will be attached to the Water and Sewage Board for the period April 1, 2015 to March 31, 2016. Appointments to the Tourist Board for the period May 1, 2015 to April 30, 2016; were also directed. These people are Don Gardiner, chairman; Crystal Greene, deputy chairman; Wayne Garland, member; Brenda Lightbourne, member; Lloyd Stubbs, member; Jayne Hutchinson, member; Lasheko Seymour, member; Shirmay Pratt, member; Bianca Harvey Garland, member; TCHTA representative.
Mothers celebrate ‘ripe old age’ THREE TCI mothers over the age of 100 are celebrating motherhood this week. Reaching 102, 101 and 100-years-old respectively are Gloria Hanchell of Grand Turk currently residing in Florida, Eliza ‘Ma Lilah’ Basden of South Caicos, and Paulina Williams of North Caicos. According to PDM leader Sharlene Cartwright Robinson in a press release on Thursday (May 7): “These mothers have lived a lifetime of caring for their families as well as others. They are prime examples of motherhood: tender loving care.” She said that she wishes to honour all of the country’s centenarians this Mother’s Day on Sunday (May 10). “May we follow in their footsteps in nurturing and instilling moral values in our children of today. “As we celebrate this Mother’s Day, let us be inspired by mothers such as Ms Hanchell, Ms Basden and Mrs Williams. “Let us commit to the teachings our mothers taught us lessons that served them well but may have been forgotten along the way.” The PDM leader stressed that a mother’s role is one to be
celebrated. “We are entrusted with the future of this land and for those of who are still rearing children in their formative years and who may even have adult children, I wish to encourage us in three ways. “We must remember who called us to duty as mothers and therefore we must remember that he who calls us to a task will indeed equip us if we rely on him. “Secondly, amidst the many challenges in today’s world, we must make time to have a meaningful relationship with our children whether they are toddlers through to adults remembering that a mother’s role is never done. “And finally, we must always remember that the future of this country is in our hands, we must never neglect our parenting role especially that of giving sound advice, correcting when we need to but also loving from the purest of heart like only a mother can.” She went on to salute mothers from the oldest mother to the youngest. “May you bask in the joys of motherhood as you are showered with love and devotion on this your day. May you be blessed today and always.”
May 9 - 15, 2015
TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS
NEWS 17
Hundreds help the Wine Cellar celebrate Cinco de Mayo HUNDREDS of people joined the Wine Cellar in celebrating the annual Mexican holiday, Cinco de Mayo. On Tuesday (May 5) the company held a get-together on the Port of Calls grounds in Grace Bay, Providenciales to commemorate the day.
Each restaurant that attended created their own dishes and sold them to the public. Desmond Williams, public relations manager for the Wine Cellar, said that this was the biggest turnout they have seen since the event’s inception.
“This was just another way to get the community together. You know that Turks is a melting pot of different nationalities and you know that Cinco de Mayo is just another way of reaching out to other people’s heritage in the Turks and Caicos,” Williams said.
The date is observed to commemorate the Mexican army’s unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, under the leadership of General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín. It is seen as a day of pride by
Mexicans in America and around the world. In the United States, Cinco de Mayo is commonly mistaken to be Mexico’s Independence Day, the most important national holiday in Mexico which is celebrated on September 16.
Lifestyle... 18
May 9 - 15, 2015
TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS
How does your garden grow ď ľ
BY DENIS Belanger - NATURE SPLENDOR
Denis is a passionate landscape architect who enjoys the creative process and his clients’ joy when projects come to life. Contact Denis at Nature Splendor for your landscaping, installation or garden maintenance needs. For more information call 332-3381 or email denis@naturesplendor.net.
The beast behind the lethal yellowing THE AMERICAN palm cixiid, Myndus crudus Van Duzee, is a plant hopper whose adults feed on the foliage of various species of palms. The nymphs of this species develop on roots of grasses. The adult is the only known insect vector of lethal yellowing (LY), a highly destructive disease of palms in the Caribbean. The nymphs develop in the root zone of grasses. They are present at the soil surface, often beneath
small clumps of leaf litter and other organic matter and to a depth of on inch and a half. Moist sites are more favourable for the development of the nymphs than drier sites, and sites with host grass of relatively long length support greater numbers of nymphs than where the grass is mowed frequently to a short length. Upon maturing to the adult stage the insects fly to palm foliage where they feed and mate.
The adults feed on palm foliage by sucking plant juices. And the females return to grasses to lay eggs. Myndus crudus adults feed on the foliage of many different species of palms. There is no conclusive data on its preferences among different species of palms, but relatively high numbers of Myndus crudus are consistently observed on certain palm species like the coconut palm and the royal palm. Myndus crudus is also commonly seen resting and presumably feeding on plants other than palms like the common screw pine. The nymphs have been reared for research studies on the roots of many different species of grasses, including species cultivated as turf or forage. Some species are highly favourable to the development of the nymphs, while other species are poor developmental hosts of this insect or do not serve as hosts. The St Augustine grass is one of several species that are highly favourable hosts.
Lethal yellowing has been most intensely studied as a disease of coconut palm because of that species economic importance. In fact, the coconut palm is considered one of the 20 most important crop plants in the world, and is a basic element in the agricultural economies of many tropical countries, as well as a source of important products in the world economy. Coconut palm is also one of the most important palms for aesthetic enhancement many tropical countries. The prospects for controlling LY via biological control of the vector were not promising. The insect is native to Florida and the Caribbean region, and is already under a degree of natural control. Several natural enemies of Myndus crudus have been identified (like the sea grape blister gall), but these do not appear to reduce the populations of this insect sufficiently to significantly reduce the spread of LY.
During the 1970s to 1980s LY epidemic in Florida, researchers noticed that the disease tended to spread fastest on golf courses and other areas with intense horticultural maintenance. Based on experiments, populations of M crudus can be reduced by planting ground covers that do not support development of the immature stages. This would reduce the potential for transmission of LY. In contrast, LY spreads more slowly through plantings of coconut palms on seaside beaches and on paved automobile parking areas. Also, observations have suggested that in areas where LY is present excessive irrigation and application of fertiliser may result in a higher incidence of the disease. The relatively slow spread of LY on sandy beaches and other grassless areas compared to nearby grassy areas may be due to differences in the ability of the habitats to support the development of the disease vector.
POLICE SAFETY TIPS
Is your child taking explicit pictures? TOO many teens believe that there is no risk to them when they send nude photos of themselves. The sexual images, once taken and sent digitally, give the receivers the ability to do anything they please with it. Pictures that get published on the internet can remain on it forever, and thus haunt the individual for a very long time. It is also against the law. Distributing nude pictures to others through cell phones or the internet can attract charges of child pornography and other crimes. Teenagers today are growing up in a culture where pornography has entered the mainstream and where sexual imagery, exemplified
by infamous photos of the famous, like Britney Spears exposing herself, have become standard fare. They seem to think there is nothing wrong with it. On the contrary, some even think they can be popular and become a star. It is more likely they will gain a fleeting moment of notoriety. But for many teens, the most important thing is to get a few minutes of fame and they will go to any lengths just so they get it. The mainstreaming of pornography is illustrated by the huge popularity of thong underwear. Thong underwear was once limited to the world of strippers and porn flicks, but now it is sold in major apparel stores all over the world. Teenagers are carried along by
a larger phenomenon happening to America. They see the sexually oriented ads and sexual images on the web, but unfortunately they are not aware of the legal consequences of participating in it. Even if the violator is susceptible to jail time and fines due to breaking the law, as it pertains to sharing said nude photos, once these photos are released to others or the general public, you can never take that back. It is imperative to be selective about behaviour directly related to the distribution of any photos or videos of you, and equally important to be selective about whom you send said photos to. All parents and guardians are urged to have frank and open conversations
By Audley Astwood Audley, a former police detective and broadcaster, is currently the press officer for the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force. His main focus is on crime prevention and community policing. For more information call 941-4448 or visit www.tcipolice.tc.
with their children in relation to the legal and social ramifications this behaviour poses. The fame gained from circulating their sexual images is so short-lived; the devastation to their lives is likely to last longer. Devices used to commit these offences may be subject to seizure by police and subsequent destruction on court order.
If you are ever a victim of some sort of harassment surrounding nude photos or videos and someone is threatening to unlawfully distribute them without your permission, contact the police, file a police report and seek a restraining order. For more information on proactive policing, please visit us at www.facebook.com/RTCIPF
May 9 - 15, 2015
Lifestyle...
TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS
Makeup and skin care
Makeup tips that nobody told you about The following article is reproduced from online blog www.listotic.com
WITH a few tips and tricks, you don’t have to be a professional to have fabulous looking makeup. And you don’t have to spend hours doing it, either. Once you have the know-how, you’ll see just how much makeup can accentuate your best features and hide those that aren’t as favourable. Here are a few makeup tips and tricks that you’ll wish you had known a long, long time ago! Repurposed plastic spoon Use a plastic spoon to easily apply mascara on your bottom lashes without getting any on the skin under your eyes. It also helps you to accomplish a much thicker coat. Disguising under eye bags Most of us tend to just sweep a layer of concealer to the entire under eye area, but to really conceal bags it’s best to highlight the crease and then apply a darker shade to the actual puffy area. How to fix clumpy mascara Let’s face it; this happens to every tube of mascara over time. The problem is it dries out and then starts to form unattractive lumps. To help prevent this, don’t pump
your mascara trying to get more on your wand; you’re basically pumping air into the tube causing it to dry out even faster. Instead, add a drop or two of Visine (or any brand of eye drops) into the tube, and then rub the wand around inside. The Visine softens the mascara liquid, making it apply as if it were a brand new tube! Lipstick ready Use a baby toothbrush to exfoliate your lips. To really get the job done, you can make a homemade lip exfoliate with sugar and coconut oil, or easier but not as effective, cover your lips in lip balm or petroleum jelly before scrubbing. Tight-lining What is tight-lining? It’s a way of applying your liner right in between your lashes. This is a great way to appear as though you’re not wearing any makeup at all, yet adding a little bit of colour and definition to your eyes, and making the base of your lashes appear thicker. Make eye-shadows pop Have you ever purchased a vibrant colour of shadow that once applied appears rather dull? The key to making those colours pop is a white base. Use white eyeliner and cover your entire lid before applying the colour of your choice.
Weekly Recipe Adele is a native of South Africa, currently living and working in the TCI. In addition to being a chef, Adele has the full time job of being a mom to four wonderful kids. Since migrating to the TCI, she has committed to making her family and fellow countrymen her favourite dishes from South Africa. Hopefully now everyone can get a taste of her extensive repertoire of delightful South African dishes. Happy cooking!
Bobotie (Traditional South African dish) INGREDIENTS • 2 onions • 2 tablespoons butter • 1/2 cup of milk • 2lbs ground beef • 10ml salt • 1ml pepper • 2 tablespoons curry powder • 2 tablespoons sugar • 1 tablespoon vinegar • 1 tablespoon apricot jam • Raisins - can be left out • 3 eggs
METHOD
• Preheat oven to 350F. Brown the onions in the butter, add ground beef, salt and pepper; stir well, crushing the ground beef into fine grains. • Cook for about 10 minutes. Add curry powder, sugar, vinegar and apricot jam to ground beef. • Simmer for 10/15 minutes until done. Mix your raisins in if you’re adding it. Spread this out in an oven safe dish. Beat milk and eggs and pour over ground beef. • Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Garnish with bay leaves if you wish!
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
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By Dr Mark Osmond
Dental x-rays WHEN a dentist examines your mouth they learn a lot about the health of your teeth, gums and other areas of the mouth just by looking. However, what a visual examination does not reveal is what is happening under the gums. Dental x-rays (or radiographs) are able to reveal what is happening inside and between the teeth, and within the bone and so provide the dentist with a fuller picture to facilitate an accurate diagnosis. Valuable diagnostic tool An x-ray is taken if the dentist needs to investigate an area further; they are considered a special investigation and should not be taken routinely. They are used to check for cavities and evaluate the extent of decay. And because they show the root of the tooth, the presence of any cysts, abscesses and other masses can be diagnosed. Congenitally missing or impacted teeth such as wisdom teeth are often identified this way, and the presence and extent of bone loss due to periodontal disease is easily seen through dental x-rays as well. Types of x-rays
Most modern dental clinics nowadays with have digital x-rays which mean the old-fashioned concept of having to develop films is redundant. The x-ray immediately uploads to the dentist’s computer where he can study the image. This also has the added benefit of being digitally attached to your
dental records and can be emailed if ever required. There are several types of radiographs commonly used in the dental office: periapical shows one or a few teeth from the crown right down to the tips of the root, bitewing shows a row of back teeth, and panoramic which shows the whole mouth. It is common to go to a hospital for a panoramic x-ray: this is true on Provo. Dental x-rays safety X-ray machines are designed to minimise radiation and as technology as improved, the length of exposure to the x-rays has continued to reduce so you can be reassured that your exposure is negligible and the processes are safe. In my clinic, the technology is very modern and the patient is only exposed to the x-rays for four hundredths of a second. Also, both my nurse and I wear x-ray monitoring badges which measure the amount of x-ray exposure over time, to ensure we are both working safely. Some (old fashioned) protocols dictate the use of a lead apron for the patient, although the best practice I follow actually recommends against this as it can scatter the x-rays and therefore increase exposure. Any patient must inform the dentist if they are pregnant, as x-rays for routine treatment would be postponed until after the baby is born.
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TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS
May 9 - 15, 2015
Regional News
Bermuda: ‘Dirty money’ was bound for UK, jury told POLICE intercepted more than $320,000 in “dirty money” earned from criminal activity in Bermuda that was bound for Britain, a Supreme Court jury has heard. Kenith Bulford, Wanda Bowen and Melina Bean were detained on March 5, 2013 when $314,950 in cash was found in the two women’s cases hidden in the soles of Nike trainers. More than $10,000 in American currency was also discovered in Mr Bulford’s jacket pocket and suitcase, the court was told. Prosecutors say Mr Bulford, 40, was travelling with the women to London on the British Airways flight but “went out of his way to look like he was not”. Prosecutor Garrett Byrne told the jury: “We say Mr Bulford was in possession of these two amounts of money and that the money represented the proceeds of crime and that he knew that.” Jurors were told that each woman’s bag was searched and contained four pairs of Nike sneakers. Mr Byrne said: “When the
officers looked at them [the shoes], they noticed something odd. First they noticed the smell of glue and they noticed the stitching along the soles was rather odd. “The shoes were examined in more detail. The officers opened up the soles of the shoes and in each and every shoe was bundles of US cash in various denominations. They were wrapped in cling film and then wrapped in tape. The money was in three bundles in each shoe. “The total amount of money in all the shoes was $314,950.” The court was told that the bundles were sent away for forensic examination and DNA found on the wrapping around the bundles matched Mr Bulford. Mr Byrne told jurors: “We ask you to make the obvious conclusion that at some point Mr Bulford came into contact with the money before being discovered. “We say there is an irresistible inference that this money is dirty money.” He added: “You may hear from an officer experienced in gangs in
Bermuda and hear that Mr Bulford is linked to one gang called MOB. “You will hear that one of its purposes is to sell drugs.” The court heard that Mr Bulford’s British and Bermudian passports were examined by officers and revealed he had made a series of trips abroad. Sergeant David Bhagwan confirmed that Mr Bulford had used his Bermudian passport to travel to Jamaica in 2005 and 2006, while he had used his British passport to travel to Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Panama, Bahamas and Turks and Caicos between 2005 and 2009. Sgt Bhagwan told jurors that these countries were known to be major “trans-shipment points” for drug importation. Mr Bulford denies two charges of possessing the proceeds of crime. The case continues. • It is The Royal Gazette’s policy not to allow comments on stories regarding court cases. This is to prevent any statements being published that may jeopardise the outcome of that case. (Royal Gazette)
British man murdered in Bahamas by gunmen POLICE in the Bahamas have launched an island-wide manhunt after a British man living in the islands was shot dead. Police said Gary Vanhoeck - 51, and originally from Grimsby - was killed at 22:00 local time (03:00 BST) on Friday on his boat docked in South Ocean, on the island of New Providence. He was confronted by two men who demanded cash before firing two shots. Police are searching for four men in connection with the killing but no arrests have been made. Two of the men are believed to have tied up a security guard while the others boarded the boat, where Mr Vanhoeck lived with his wife, Kathryn. Mr Vanhoeck, who worked at Stuart Cove’s dive centre 17 miles (27km) from Nassau, capital of the Bahamas, is reported to have been shot in front of his wife. Their boat was moored in front of the dive centre where he was a scuba diving instructor and dock manager. Michelle Cove, managing director of Stuart Cove’s dive centre, described Mr Vanhoeck as “irreplaceable” and “one of a kind”. She added: “Gary was passionate about diving. He was amazingly knowledgeable not just about the marine environment but also about
Instead of the usual interface, visitors to www.gov.vc saw the headline “Hacked by Moroccanwolf – Islamic State” and a photograph of a man on the back of a pickup truck firing a machine gun.
Purported ISIS group hacks St Vincent Government website THE St. Vincent and the Grenadines government is taking steps to get its website back up and running after it was hacked earlier this week by a group claiming to be affiliated with radical Islamist group ISIS. Instead of the usual interface, visitors to www.gov.vc saw the headline “Hacked by Moroccanwolf – Islamic State” and a photograph of a man on the back of a pickup truck firing a machine gun. Below the photo was a message in which the hackers accused the United States and NATO forces of being involved in “organised butchery” of the human race. “They overthrow governments of sovereign nations and they undermine, threaten, refuse to recognise and seek to destroy democratically elected
governments like they are in Syria, Iraq, Gaza, Palestine. “They support dictators as long as they are fulfilling US, EU & NATO interest in the region like they did in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. You speak of freedom of speech and freedom of expression but you remain silent in the face of a people desire to seek freedom to exist – unless those people are Israeli Zionists! Hypocrisy of this magnitude will bring the chickens home to roost and not peace and security as is your mantra!” continued the message signed by Islamic State Hackers. However, the website subsequently went offline. No official statement had been issued by the government up to this morning. (Caribbean360)
According to the Royal Bahamas Police Force, Gary Vanhoeck was at home on his boat when he was “accosted” by two men.
IT and he was a gourmet chef. “He was happy-go-lucky and fun to be around. Now when I see someone else at the desk, doing the daily roster, it doesn’t feel right.” Mr Vanhoeck’s brother Wayne told the BBC: “The family are devastated, we’re finding it hard to come to terms with. “Gary was everything to us, we can’t believe he’s gone.” A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We can confirm the death of a British national in the Bahamas. We are providing the family with consular assistance at this very difficult time.” The Bahamas’ Tourism Minister,
Obie Wilchcombe, told the local Tribune 242 newspaper in the wake of Mr Vanhoeck’s murder that he was “very concerned” that crime was “ruining” the reputation of the islands. According to Tribune 242, there have been 50 murders in the Bahamas this year. Last April, Briton Edgar Dart, 56, was shot dead and his family attacked with a machete during a robbery in the Bahamas. Police said Mr Dart, who lived in Winnipeg, Canada, was killed when the masked gang attacked his mother’s home in Emerald Bay, Grand Bahama. (BBC)
Flashback: Michael Geilenfeld waiting in handcuffs as the manager of his orphanage sits with him in the back of a police truck outside the St. Joseph’s Home for boys after police closed it down. (Photo: AP)
American freed of child abuse charges in Haiti AN American accused of abusing five former residents in an orphanage he operated has been set free. The case against Michael Geilenfeld has been dismissed and the 63-year-old founder of St. Joseph’s Home for Boys released after a brief trial. However, a lawyer for the victims,
Manuel Jeanty, said he planned to appeal the decision. None of the victims, who are now all adults, testified in the trial. Jeanty said neither he nor any of his clients attended the proceeding because they were not notified in advance that it would be taking place.
May 9 - 15, 2015
TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS
Regional News
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Premier McLaughlin: Defamation lawsuit moving forward in Cayman Islands
Prime Minister Freundel Stuart said Bajans should not be ashamed by the report.
Barbados PM defends country after bleak IMF report PRIME Minister Freundel Stuart has insisted that is Barbados is not at the bottom of the economic totem pole as suggested in a recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) report. He was adamant that Barbados was finding its way back to economic robust growth and in terms of human development, infrastructure and other indices, it was continuing to do well. Stuart’s response, following the official opening of Phase Eight of the Youth in Agriculture Programme earlier this week, came on the heels of the IMF’s latest Regional Economic Outlook for the Western Hemisphere which predicted that Barbados would lag at the bottom and grow by only 0.8 per cent this year and 1.4 per cent in 2016, while the growth rate for the other Caribbean countries, including Haiti, would be higher. “When you say to me that Barbados is at the bottom of the totem pole in the Caribbean, I do not think anybody in the Caribbean who hears that will be persuaded by it,” he said. “In the context of the entire Caribbean, I don’t think that Barbadians have anything to be ashamed about. We know that we have been going through some challenges and that we have to try and work our way back to where we
want to be and that we are doing. I don’t think that there is any need for despair.” Stuart noted that there was a time when no growth was being predicted. If there was some growth now being projected, he said, “it means that we are doing something right and we are doing something right in the context of very difficult global circumstances”. The IMF growth predictions conflicted with the forecast of Governor of the Central Bank of Barbados Dr DeLisle Worrell who said the economy would grow by between 1.5 per cent and two per cent this year. But Stuart insisted that Barbados was working its way back to robust economic growth. “We just have to continue to do the work that we are doing and get ourselves back to where we want to be. What we are experiencing here is really no different from what other countries across the western world have been experiencing for some time, including the most powerful country on earth . . . We have to continue practising the kind of discipline that we have been practising recently and continue to ensure that the standard of living and quality of life of our people suffer no diminution as a result of present challenges,” he said.
Moody downgrades T&T MOODY’S Investors Service, the credit rating agency that conducts international financial research on bonds issued by commercial and government entities on Thursday downgraded Trinidad and Tobago’s government bond rating, and issuer rating to Baa2 from Baa1 and changed the outlook to negative from stable. According to Moody’s, the key drivers behind the downgrade are: Persistent fiscal deficits and challenging prospects for fiscal reforms. Decline in oil prices and
limited economic diversification to weigh negatively on economic growth prospects. Weak macroeconomic policy framework given lack of a medium-term fiscal strategy; and inadequate provision of vital macroeconomic data. At Baa2, the investment grade rating is supported by a strong government balance sheet, underpinned by the country’s Heritage and Stabilization Fund (HSF), and also benefits from a moderate and affordable debt burden and a strong external position. (Trinidad Express)
THE war of words between Cayman Islands Premier Alden McLaughlin and the territory’s Opposition Leader McKeeva Bush intensified as the premier threatened to file a lawsuit this week against Mr. Bush over alleged defamatory comments contained in a parliamentary motion released to the local press. Mr. McLaughlin said Saturday that neither he nor his attorneys had received any response to a letter delivered to Mr. Bush last Tuesday evening, demanding that Mr. Bush apologise to the premier over the private members’ motion filed in the Legislative Assembly on April 14. The motion alleged a “conspiracy” to influence the results of the May 2013 general election in the Cayman Islands. The correspondence delivered Tuesday sought an apology from Mr. Bush by close of business Friday. “We haven’t heard a word,” Mr. McLaughlin said, indicating that he was intending to proceed with the defamation lawsuit against Mr. Bush within the week. Contacted Saturday for comment, Mr. Bush did not state whether he intended to apologise as Mr. McLaughlin’s letter sought. “If [Mr. McLaughlin] takes the charges I have made so seriously, then I challenge him to step aside until the case is heard,” Mr. Bush said in a text message.
When contacted the opposition leader McKeeva Bush did not state whether he intended to apologise as Mr. McLaughlin’s letter sought.
The private members’ motion filed by Mr. Bush was accepted by Speaker of the House Juliana O’Connor-Connolly last month, but whether the Legislative Assembly’s Business Committee – controlled by the Progressives-led government – would put it onto the governing body’s agenda was unknown. Also, pending litigation could have the effect of delaying or making moot the issues raised by Mr. Bush. The motion, which makes various allegations against named and unnamed individuals, has been called “libelous” by Premier McLaughlin.
Nine-year-old charged with car theft in Trinidad POLICE in Trinidad and Tobago have charged a nine-year-old boy for stealing a car, but questions are being raised about the legality of the move. The child took a neighbour’s car and went joyriding on Sunday afternoon, driving along a busy thoroughfare and stopping on Alverado Street in Penal, in the south of Trinidad, only after he struck a parked vehicle. According to Newsday, he was not hurt in the accident and the other car sustained minor damage. The boy had reportedly driven away the car after seeing it parked in the owner’s yard with the key in the ignition. The minor on Monday went before a court and was placed on a bond of TT$1,000 (US$158) on a charge of larceny of a motor vehicle. However, the magistrate dismissed additional charges of dangerous driving, driving without a driver’s permit and driving without insurance. The boy’s mother told the newspaper that her son was fascinated with fast driving and car video games, but she did not know he could drive or that he had taken the car. Newsday also reported that police went to the scene of the accident and found the nine-year-old and took him
to the station, but he subsequently managed to slip away. He was subsequently found at the home of an elderly relative several miles away. However, in an interview with Newsday, two attorneys suggested that under a principle in law known as doli incapax (not capable of committing a crime), a child 10 years or younger could not be legally responsible for his or her actions and therefore could not be convicted of committing a criminal offence. “Can the police say this boy, when he took the car for a joyride, had intentions to permanently deprive the owner? The principle of doli incapax is more applicable here, than in a strict liability offence such as breaking a traffic light or driving without a licence and insurance,” senior criminal lawyer Subhas Panday told the newspaper. A similar view was expressed by Shaun Vidale Teekasingh although he noted that there have been cases where children below the age of 10 have been successfully prosecuted because the prosecution was able to establish that the minors’ mental state of mind was sound enough for them to know that what they were doing was wrong. (Caribbean360)
The premier warned of pending litigation in a letter sent recently to local press organizations. Generally, private members’ motions filed with the House are considered absolutely protected speech under what is known as parliamentary privilege. However, Mr. McLaughlin argues that the manner in which Mr. Bush’s motion was made public – in a press conference on April 14, the same date it was filed – exempts it from that privilege. Therefore, anything said in the motion and at the subsequent press conference is subject to claims of defamation, Mr. McLaughlin said – defamation referring to untrue and damaging allegations made publicly by one person against another. The letter sent to the local media advised that Mr. McLaughlin was asking the press to refrain from publishing the details of Mr. Bush’s motion or subsequent statements about it.
The Bahamas: Internal investigation launched after alleged sexual assault at the BAIC BAHAMAS Public Services Union President, John Pinder, confirmed this week that an internal investigation at the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation into separate allegations of sexual assault and harassment against two supervisors has resulted in the relocation of one supervisor and a police investigation into allegations made against the other. In the first claim, a male employee filed a written complaint with the union in which it was alleged he was forced into a vehicle, driven to a secluded area of the compound and sexually assaulted by a male supervisor on the work site. Mr Pinder said the matter has been referred to the police and is being investigated; however so far no charges have been filed against the supervisor. In the second claim, a deputy manager is accused of sexual harassment and leveraging sex for career advancement with female employees. It was also alleged that the male supervisor was caught in a sexual act with another female employee.
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Entertainment
May 9 - 15, 2015
TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS
Errol Brown, Hot Chocolate singer, dies in the Bahamas
Hot Chocolate had hits in more than 50 countries worldwide, including ‘You Sexy Thing’, ‘It Started with a Kiss’ and ‘Everyone’s a Winner’. ‘You Sexy Thing’ also enjoyed a revival with the film, The Full Monty, in 1997.
ERROL Brown, the Hot Chocolate lead singer and Bahamas resident, died with his family around him in New Providence this morning from liver cancer. He was 71. Mr Brown co-wrote ‘You Sexy Thing’, the British soul band’s best-known hit and a top 10 single in the 1970s and 1980s. He lived at Caves Village, western New Providence. Mr Brown had been resident in the Bahamas for 15 years and hosted a popular annual Christmas golf tournament at the Ocean Club, Paradise Island, to raise funds for his
Church of God of Prophecy NATIONAL WOMEN’S MINISTRY Director’s Mothers’ Day Message
Errol Brown Children in Need charity. The funds raised went towards purchasing equipment in the children’s wards at Princess Margaret Hospital. The announcement was made by his manager, Phil
Dale, who said: “Errol Brown MBE passed away in The Bahamas this morning with his wife Ginette and daughters Colette and Leonie by his side of liver cancer. Errol was a lover of life and obviously
‘music!’ I never went into his home, car or a hotel room without music playing. “Errol was a ‘Gentle Man’ and was a personal friend of mine who will be sadly missed by everyone who knew him.”
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As National Women’s Ministries Director of the COGOP Turks and Caicos Islands I Min. Carol Ann Skippings extend a warm and hearty Mother’s Day greeting to all mothers. Mothers Day is a very special Day for all of us. A time that is set aside each year to recognize and appreciate the sacrifice and contributions of mothers across the world. In Exodus 20:12 it is sanctioned “Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy days may be long upon the land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee.” I embrace this opportunity to honour our Mothers today. Mothers are the world’s greatest asset. The great human influence upon our society comes from our Mothers. As we celebrate this Mothers Day, we can express our gratitude for the one who gave us birth and who cared for us when we could not care for ourselves. She gave us cheer when we succeeded and consolation and comfort when we failed. Mothers are kingdom builders, character constructors and recruiting agents for the eternal realms that lies beyond. Today I salute all the mothers across the Turks and Caicos Islands, no gift to your mother can compare to the gift of life that she has given to you We honour God for all of you and for the tremendous sacrifices you make in raising the Children of the Turks and Caicos to be the next generation of parental, Spiritual, Christian and civic leaders. May God bless you mothers and again I wish you “A Happy, and a wonderful Mother’s Day.”
love † teach † serve
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May 9 - 15, 2015
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May 9 - 15, 2015
TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS
Entertainment Jackie Chan ‘supports death penalty’ for drug offences Jackie Chan, whose son was jailed for drugs offences, said that with drugs “you’re hurting thousands of young children”.
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HONG Kong actor Jackie Chan has said he supports the use of the death penalty for some drug offenders. Chan, whose son was jailed for drugs offences, said that with drugs “you’re hurting thousands of young children”. Jaycee Chan spent six months in prison in China after police found marijuana in his home. Jackie Chan is Singapore’s first celebrity anti-drug ambassador. He was named official Narcotics Control Ambassador by Chinese police in 2009. Both Singapore and China have enforced capital punishment for drug trafficking. In an interview with journalists conducted in both English and Mandarin, he said drugs were not only hurting young people, they were hurting his family.
May 9 - 15, 2015
TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS
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Entertainment
TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS
May 9 - 15, 2015
Sir Elton John urges US Congress to strengthen support for AIDS fight SIR Elton John has told a US Senate panel that AIDS could be eradicated in his lifetime, but only if the US government continues funding the fight against the virus. Sir Elton spoke at a Senate hearing that is considering funding for the US’s global Aids programme. “The Aids epidemic is not over and America’s continued leadership is critical,” he said on Wednesday. Senators Lindsey Graham and Patrick Leahy invited the singer to speak. STIGMA The subject of the Senate committee’s hearing was the President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief, also known as Pepfar. “We cannot afford to let the window close if our efforts flag,” Sir Elton told the senators, while wearing his signature pink sunglasses. “Drug resistance will surface, transmission rates will rise and this disease which knows no boundaries will once again become a ruthless pandemic with disastrous and farreaching consequences. “This is the most powerful legislative body in the world and this
Fans will vote 20 alums back on to the show from a pool of 32 in a contest that runs through May 20.
Sir Elton John said that the AIDS epidemic is not over and America’s continued leadership is critical.
Congress indeed has the power to end AIDS.” And when asked by Sen Graham about what his worst fear was going forward, the British musician replied: “The worst fear is stigma, to be honest with you.” He mentioned Africa as an example, saying that “draconian laws” were forcing gay men with
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HIV to go underground “and the disease is spread even further”. “But getting people to feel unashamed... because they may have a sexual orientation that the leader of the government may not approve of, is incredibly important,” Sir Elton said. The fight against AIDS amounts to 1% of the US budget, Sir Elton told the BBC’s Katty Kay.
Survivor next season cast will be chosen by fans VIEWER vote will cast the next season of the Survivor franchise, choosing 20 cast members from a pool of 32 former players for the 31st season of the show, CBS announced at the end of Wednesday night’s episode. The upcoming season will film this summer and air this fall. The 32 candidates span the reality show’s history, from the Season 1 runner-up Kelly Wiglesworth (dubbed
“the rat” in a famous speech viewed by 50 million) to five contestants from the currently airing Season 30. All of the potential contestants have never won the hit show. “Since their respective seasons ended, these players have been begging for another shot,” longtime host and executive producer Jeff Probst said. “This is a fun way to allow our loyal fans to be involved in the creative process.”
May 9 - 15, 2015
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New princess named Charlotte Elizabeth Diana BRITAIN’S new born princess has a name: Charlotte Elizabeth Diana. Kate Middleton and Prince William annouced their little girl’s name Monday, two days after she was born. Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte of Cambridge’s middle names honour Queen Elizabeth II, the baby’s 89-year-old greatgrandmother, and the late Princess Diana, William’s mother. Elizabeth is also Kate’s middle name. Kate gave birth to the newest royal at 8:34 a.m. Saturday, less than three hours after she was admitted to the Lindo Wing at St. Mary’s Hospital in London. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge returned to Kensington Palace with their new baby girl later that day. British bookies have speculated on the little one’s name for weeks. Bettors favoured Alice before she was born, but the ultimately correct Charlotte tied with Alice’s odds after the baby’s arrival. Betting on royal baby names is big business in Britain; bookmakers raked in $24 million before George’s birth. Little Charlotte, her parents and her big brother, Prince George, are expected to travel from Kensington Palace in London to the family’s country home, Anmer Hall, in Sandringham, on Monday. There, the new princess was expected to be introduced to her great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, the Telegraph reported. Sandringham is about 100 miles north of London. The Queen’s
Britain’s Prince William, Kate Middleton, their newborn daughter and their 21-month-old son, Prince George, are expected to head to the royal family’s country home Monday.
residence, Sandringham House, is about two miles away from Anmer Hall. The royal family, which divides its time between London and Sandringham, will spend the rest of the month at Anmer Hall. William is on a one-month paternity leave from his day job as a medevac helicopter pilot, and Kate has planned a maternity leave from her royal duties. Kate’s parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, will reportedly stay with their daughter at Anmer Hall this week to help with newborn Charlotte. The royal family also has a full-time nanny for George, and has reportedly hired a maternity nurse to help care for the princess for at least the next three months.
The princess’ royal birth — announced Saturday both on Twitter and on a golden easel placed outside of Buckingham Palace — set off celebrations across the U.K. World leaders, including President Obama, were quick to send along their congratulations. “Michelle and I are delighted to congratulate the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, her majesty the Queen and the royal family, and all the people of the United Kingdom on the birth of the royal princess,” the President said. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s new addition is considered the “spare heir,” because first-born George precedes her in the line of succession to the British throne.
May 9 - 15, 2015
British granny pleas for life after death sentence in Indonesia A BRITISH grandmother sentenced to death in Indonesia for smuggling $2.5 million worth of cocaine is writing desperate letters to celebrities, begging for their help to get her death sentence overturned, saying she expects to be killed any day now. Lindsay Sandiford, 58, has sent missives to actor and human-rights activist Russell Brand, as well as to Virgin Group founder Richard Branson, pleading for them to use their influence and positions to save her from being executed by a firing squad. She was sentenced to death in 2013 after being convicted of being a drug mule who carried 8.4 pounds of cocaine, secreted in the lining of her luggage, from Thailand to Bali as part of the “Bali Nine” group of smugglers. Her fellow ferriers Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, both of Australia, were executed by firing squad last month. Brand had asked for clemency in their death sentences. “My situation is extremely urgent and if you can raise awareness of my case in any way it would be a great help and comfort to me, “Sandiford wrote to the actor and comedian, Britain’s The Independent reported Wednesday. To Branson, she wrote that she “could be executed at any time” and begged him to act on her behalf, as he had for Chan. She was “hugely impressed and moved to see you speak out against the execution of the prisoners last week including Andrew, who was
Britain’s Lindsay Sandiford, seen here behind Bali bars in 2013, has written to celebrities Russell Brand and Richard Branson, begging for their help in getting her death sentence for smuggling drugs overturned.
a close friend of mine,” Sandiford wrote, according to the BBC. In an article published in Britain’s the Mail on Sunday, Sandiford said she was writing farewell letters to her two grown children. She wrote she would not wear a blindfold at her execution. “I’ll look them in the eye and be singing ‘Magic Moments’ when they shoot me.” (NYDailynews)
Bill Clinton concedes role in mass incarceration FORMER US president Bill Clinton on Wednesday conceded that overincarceration in the United States stems in part from policies passed under his administration. Clinton signed into law an omnibus crime bill in 1994 that included the federal “three strikes” provision, mandating life sentences for criminals convicted of a violent felony after two or more prior convictions, including drug crimes. On Wednesday, Clinton acknowledged that policy’s role in over-incarceration in an interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour. “The problem is the way it was written and implemented is we cast too wide a net and we had too many people in prison,” Clinton said Wednesday. “And we wound up... putting so many people in prison that there wasn’t enough money left to educate them, train them for new jobs and increase the chances when
they came out so they could live productive lives.” Clinton’s comments come on the heels of protests in Baltimore over policing and the death of a young black man there and a week after Hillary Clinton delivered one of the first policy addressees of her presidential campaign on criminal justice reform, saying that the system focuses too much on incarceration. “Keeping them behind bars does little to reduce crime, but it does a lot to tear apart families,” Hillary Clinton said last week. “Our prisons and our jails are now our mental health institutions.” As first lady, Clinton helped push the omnibus crime bill in public, calling it a “well-thought out crime bill that is both smart and tough” in a 1994 interview. She said that the crime bill would keep violent offenders locked up “so they could never get out again” and
Clinton had signed into law an omnibus crime bill in 1994 that included the federal “three strikes” provision, mandating life sentences for criminals convicted of a violent felony after two or more prior convictions, including drug crimes.
touted the “three strikes” provision specifically. “We will finally be able to say, loudly and clearly, that for repeat, violent, criminal offenders: three strikes and you’re out. We are tired of putting you back in through the revolving door,” Clinton said in 1994. On the heels of nationwide protests in Baltimore, Clinton and other politicians are now turning their attention away from “tough on crime” policies to those focused on lowering prison populations and providing more opportunities for low-income areas, where tensions with police have boiled over in Baltimore and other cities. In the interview Wednesday, the former president didn’t completely take the blame for those crime policies, though, pointing to Republicans who strongly pushed the “three strikes” provision. “But I wanted to pass a bill and so I did go along with it,” Clinton
said, referencing the legislation that put more police officers on the streets, increased prison funding and banned assault weapons and large ammunition magazines. Clinton’s administration did attempt to reform the Republican proposal of that policy, but he and his administration touted the benefits of the “three strikes” provision included in the legislation he signed. Clinton said he agreed with his wife’s new bent on criminal justice reform and called bipartisan support for those types of reforms “one of the most hopeful things.” “I mean, going from conservative Republicans to liberal Democrats and the people in between saying there’s too many people in jail and we’re not doing enough to rehabilitate the ones you could rehabilitate,” Clinton said. “We’re wasting too much money locking people up who don’t need to be there.” (CNN)
May 9 - 15, 2015
World News
TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS
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Sources: Baltimore police investigation doesn’t support some of prosecution’s charges
French troops were deployed to ease tensions in the Central African Republic in 2013.
French peacekeeper child abuse: UN whistle-blower to be reinstated
A UN whistle-blower who revealed allegations of child sex abuse by French peacekeepers in the Central African Republic should be reinstated immediately, a tribunal says. Anders Kompass was suspended by the UN for leaking the report to French authorities, who are now investigating. The UN appeal tribunal ruled that his suspension was unlawful, and that he should now return to work. The UN denies allegations it covered up child abuse. French authorities are now investigating 14 soldiers over the report, having received it in July last year. The report alleges that children as young as nine were forced to carry
out sex acts in return for food. French President Francois Hollande said last week: “If some soldiers have behaved badly, I will show no mercy.” Soldiers from Chad and Equatorial Guinea have also been implicated in alleged abuse, but neither country has responded publicly to the accusations. France intervened in its former colony in December 2013, nine months after a rebel alliance, Seleka, had captured the capital and ousted President Francois Bozize. The country descended into ethnic and sectarian violence, with thousands of people fleeing their homes and the UN warning that there was a high risk of genocide. (BBC)
Colombia investigate US military sex abuse allegations COLOMBIA says it will investigate accusations that US contractors and military staff sexually abused minors for four years from 2003. An academic report said in February that at least 53 underage girls were abused in two towns in central Colombia. US soldiers allegedly filmed the abuse and sold the tapes as pornography. The Colombian Ombudsman said he had asked for an update on a US inquiry into the allegations. The Colombian government welfare body, the ICBF, called for the girls and adolescents allegedly involved to be located and identified. The allegations were published by a historian, Renan Vega, in a report on Colombia’s long-running conflict between the government and FARC rebels . It was part of a set of 12 reports
on the conflict, by various historians, requested by negotiators at peace talks taking place in the Cuban capital, Havana. Mr Vega alleges that the abuse happened in two towns, Melgar and Girardot in central Colombia near one of the country’s largest military bases. He also alleged that in Melgar, a US contractor and a US sergeant raped a 12-year-old girl in 2007. The French news agency AFP quoted the US Embassy in Bogota as saying it “takes very seriously any allegation of sexual misconduct by one of its officials.” US military and contractors have been working in Colombia for more than a decade during a multi-billiondollar military and diplomatic aid operation named “Plan Colombia” aimed at fighting drug trafficking and insurgencies. (BBC)
THE Baltimore police investigation into the death of Freddie Gray doesn’t support some of the charges, including the most serious, filed by the Baltimore City State’s Attorney, potentially allowing lawyers representing the police officers the opportunity to undercut the prosecution, according to officials briefed on the two probes. Already, defence attorneys are filing motions seeking to exploit differences between the separate state attorney and police investigations. Lawyers for two officers have challenged a key finding of State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby’s case:that a knife found on Freddie Gray was legal in Maryland and therefore the officers didn’t have a right to arrest Gray. The police investigation found that the knife is illegal under Baltimore city code. Officials familiar with the probes also say the homicide investigation run by police investigators at most contemplated a manslaughter charge, not second degree murder as Mosby charged one of the officers, Caesar Goodson. To win conviction for murder, prosecutors must prove intent to kill. Manslaughter relates to unintentional killings.
In addition, homicide investigators who were briefed by the medical examiner’s office believed the examiner’s autopsy report would likely find the cause of death to fall short of homicide, according to one official familiar with the case. Instead, Mosby said that the medical examiner concluded that Gray’s death was a homicide and that Gray’s fatal injury to the head occurred in a police transport van that was taking him to the police precinct. According to an official with Maryland’s office of the chief medical examiner, where Gray’s autopsy was performed, information was shared with police investigators throughout the process, a common practice. But the official said there is only one conclusion on manner of death and that was contained in the final autopsy report delivered to Mosby on the same day she announced her decision to bring charges. Another issue could arise from the team Mosby relied on to lead her case: one of her top investigators, Avon Mackel, is a former highranking Baltimore police officer who was stripped of his command post in 2009 for failing to follow through on
a robbery investigation that two of his officers mishandled and did not report. A Baltimore Sun report said police in the district were accused of classifying serious crimes as lesser in order to log lower crime rates. In October 2009, four months after his demotion, Baltimore County police sent a SWAT team to Mackel’s home, responding a drunken incident in which he was seen holding a gun, according to a police report of the incident obtained by CNN. Officers said an intoxicated Mackel refused to cooperate and was visibly upset, according to the report provided in response to a public records request. An officer then “observed the barrel of Mackel’s handgun hanging over the edge of the molding at the top of the steps and saw Mackel pull the gun out of sight,” the report said. Police used a Taser on Mackel while he was on the phone with his father “crying and yelling,” before he barricaded himself in his bedroom. The report doesn’t say how the incident ended, but police said there was no arrest. A spokesman for the Baltimore County Police Department said “the [SWAT] tactical unit did assist with this incident, which ended peacefully.”
Report: Germanwings crash co-pilot tested 100-foot descent setting GERMANWINGS co-pilot Andreas Lubitz rehearsed putting his aircraft into a controlled descent on the flight that preceded the crash of his jetliner into the French Alps on March 24, according to an interim report Wednesday by French air accident investigators. The report by the French air accident investigation agency, the BEA, is based on analysis of the aircraft’s flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder. This indicates that on the flight out from Germany to Spain, “Several altitude selections towards 100 ft were recorded during descent on the flight that preceded the accident flight, while the co-pilot was alone in the cockpit.” The data recorders indicate the captain had left Lubitz alone on the flight deck for less than five minutes. On the return flight the same morning from Barcelona, Spain, to Dusseldorf, Germany, Lubitz is accused of purposely slamming Germanwings Flight 9525 into the French Alps, killing all 150 people on board, while the captain was locked out of the cockpit. The co-pilot refused to let the
Germany pilot Andreas Lubitz is accused of purposely slamming Germanwings Flight 9525 into the French Alps, killing all 150 people on board, while the captain was locked out of the cockpit.
captain re-enter and failed to respond to repeated contacts from air traffic controllers as the plane made its fatal descent. Lubitz suffered from bouts of depression and the incident sparked a global debate over how to monitor the mental health of pilots. The preliminary BEA report details what happened on board the
Airbus A320 on both the outbound and return flights. The report and a Germanwings spokesperson both indicate that the same six crew members were on both legs of the trip. While Lubitz was alone on the flight deck on the outbound flight, he was asked to bring the plane down to a lower altitude.
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Classifieds TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS
Brama Kumaris
Raja Yoga Meditation Centre Turks and Caicos Islands
Telephone 946-4760 & 332-4101
www.bkwsu.com Email: bkpadma@bkwsutci.com
FOR SALE
May 9 - 15, 2015
946-4664 Fax: 946-4661
Email: tcnews@tciway.tc
Website: tcweeklynews.com
FLOWER GIRL
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Floral Designer
Must have thorough knowledge in the floral business with 3-5 years experience.
Call: 231-3788
Construction scaffold and roof tiles for sale CONTACT: 431-1591 OR 231-3788
May 9 - 15, 2015
CLASSIFIEDS 31
TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS
COLASCO
AGNES SWANN
WHITBY NORTH CAICOS
Is looking for a
CAICOS CAFÉ
dishwasher To work 6 days
per week salary $6.25 per hour.
contact: 946-5278
email: elitetci@ gmail.com 11483
11052
Colmelita Handfield
One Labourer
Hairdresser
needed To work 6 days
To work MondaySaturday. Basic salary
ALTHAMISE ARTHUR
is looking for a
domestic
worker To work 6 days per week salary $6.50 per hour.
contact: 3473927 or 345-7202 11531
auto Domestic Store Clerks mechanic Must be willing Worker to work 6 days To work 6 days per week salary $6.50 per hour.
per week salary $6.25 per hour.
contact: 232-7101
contact: 243-4350
contact: 242-2345
HUDSON JENNINGS
Crystal Sea Adventures Grand Turk & Salt Cay
PADI DIVE MASTER WANTED • Must have Knowledge about operating a boat in and around Grand Turk and Salt Cay • Minimum 5 years experience • EFR\CPR certified • Minimum 5 years boat handling experience • Must be able to work 6 days a week including holidays • Must be capable of doing heavy lifting • Salary starting at $275US a week
Please send CV\resume to crystalseasadventures. com or call 649-431-9585
To work 6 days per week salary $6.25 per hour.
Is looking for a
domestic worker To work 6 days per week salary $6.25 per hour.
contact: 341-4502
Qualified Pharmacy Technician
Seeks:
per week salary $5.50 per hour.
11523
Contact: 649-946-7705
Is looking for a
is seeking to employ 2
Send resume to: Misick & Stanbrook, Leeward Highway Providenciales Tel: 946-4732 Fax 946-4734 Email info@misickstanbrook.tc
11524
BLUE MOUNTAIN WATER
Labourer
• Must be able to do heavy lifting, after hours and holidays • Must have a good attitude • Must be a team player and good work ethics required Belonger only nee apply Salary $6.25 per hour
Contact: 941-5613 11515
- Must have pharmacy technician qualification from a recognized college, including at least 1 year of classroom based learning. - At least 3 years post qualification experience in a busy pharmacy. - CXC grade 1 or 2 or equivalent in maths, English and science. - Will be required to pass a pharmacy technician exam paper as part of interview process. - Duties will include accurate dispensing,
- - - -
use of dispensary software, maintenance of pharmacy stock, NHIP billing, handling OTC enquiries. Recent experience with extemporaneous preparations of liquids and creams is desirable. Second language (Spanish or Creole) would be an advantage. Willing to work long shifts, weekends and holidays. $12-$15 per hour depending on experience and qualifications
Trainee Pharmacy Assistant
no experience needed – ideal opportunity for recent high school graduate - Must have keen interest in healthcare and be able to commit to a 2 year training program. - Must be able to multi task and work in a fast paced and sometimes stressful environment. - Must have a strong academic background with grade 1 or 2 in CXC math, science and English. - Excellent IT skills are essential. - Second language (Spanish or Creole)
would be an advantage. - Applicant will be required to undergo written testing as part of the interview process. - Must be willing to work long shifts, weekends and holidays. - Sponsorship to complete pharmacy technician course will be available if necessary aptitude demonstrated. - $7.50-$10 per hour depending on experience.
Please send cover letter, resume and copies of qualifications to jobs@flamingopharmacy.com. Incomplete applications may not receive a response. Please note these are all new vacancies.
Closing date for applications is May 31st 2015.
11482
To work 6 days per week evenings, weekends and shifts
Is looking for an
11416
contact: 2464769 or 342-6305 11415
Is looking for a
bartender
DEMESLIEN JOSEPH
11471
11421
11510
contact: 231-1489
ELITE GAMING
Is looking for a
BARBARA ADAMS
11425
To work 6 days per week salary $6.25 per hour.
$6.25 per hour.
contact: 231-0271
NORTH CAICOS
Is looking for a
labourer labourer labourer To work 6 days per week salary To work 6 days per week salary $6.00 per hour.
AUTO PARTS PLUS
11473
Is looking for a
11487
ALBERT MUSGROVE
32 CLASSIFIEDS
May 9 - 15, 2015
TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS
HERTZ/ MYSTIQUE CAR RENTAL TWO KITEBOARDING TEL # 649-941-3910 or 431-3910 INSTRUCTORS REQUIRED The successful candidate must be IKO certified at least at Level One and must have a minimum of three years teaching experience in this area, as this individual will be actively involved in training and providing lessons in Kiteboarding to adults and children. Must also possess the ability to speak either French or Spanish, hold a valid driver's license and be in good health. Will be required to assist with assembling and lifting Kiteboarding equipment to and from the beach everyday for lessons. Must be personable, able to work unsupervised and trustworthy. Assistance will be required in website maintenance and social media administration. Salary will commensurate with experience. References must be furnished upon request. We will accept emails only of resumes with proof of certification. Must be submitted by May 6, 2015. Any qualified persons may also send a copy of their application to the Labour Department. Email: info@karammissick.com.
CBMS
11465
Caribbean Building Materials & Services Ltd. PO Box 611, 131 South Dock Road Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands, BWI Phone 649-941-3400 Fax 649-941-3401
Plant & Equipment Maintenance Manager
Applicant will be responsible for maintenance and repair schedule of company’s fleet of equipment, including heavy equipment, trucks and company vehicles and batch plants. Applicant must be able to identify and assess equipment problems, coordinate and delegate repairs within the mechanic department, implement stock/parts computerized inventory program, schedule regular and preventative maintenance and keep repair records. Applicant will be responsible for all Fleet Service purchases, including parts, tools and liaise with overseas suppliers. Ensure that all equipment is completely inspected annually for government standard inspection and registration. Applicant must have excellent communication skills to communicate between the various departments within the company. Applicant must have 10 to 15 years minimum experience and at least five years as an equipment manager. Advance computer skills are required. Please reply with a clean police record, reference, driver’s license and any certification.
Earthworks Manager Applicant will be responsible for developing, recommending and implementing the project plan after the project is awarded. Will assemble key personnel for the project, monitoring and controlling progress, cost and budgets throughout the project. Will report to Management on project status and results in a timely fashion. Applicant should have10 plus years experience directly managing heavy civil construction projects, specific experience with earthworks, experience in construction estimating, planning, scheduling, cost control and contract management. Through knowledge of all aspects of construction equipment, materials, negotiations, engineering estimating scheduling and safety. Qualifications should include Civil Engineering Degree or equivalent training and experience.
Carpenter Applicant will be responsible for preparing form work for projects. Must be familiar with Dura-forms and concrete polishing. Applicant must be able to read drawings, prepare form work to meet schedule concrete pours. Order all materials needed for completing jobs. Applicant should have at least 10 years experience.
Heavy Duty Mechanics
Applicant must have at least 10 years experience with heavy trucks, heavy construction equipment, tractors, bulldozers, graders, dump trucks, forklifts and excavators. Work involves repairs on Diesel engines, overhaul, maintenance service and reconditioning equipment. Applicant must be able to provide their own tools have computer knowledge. Applicant must be prepared to work late days, evenings, and weekends as the job dictates.
Qualification
College, vocational or technical training provide Heavy Duty Equipment Mechanic Trade Certification
Salary/wage will be based on experience. Forward application to our office or call 941-3400.
VEHICLES FOR SALE Make /model
Year License # Color
Price
Nissan March
2007
7727
silver
$5799.00
Toyota Vitz
2007
7743
silver
$6800.00
Nissan March
2008
7729
silver
$6500.00
Nissan March
2008
7730
green
$6900.00
Toyota passo
2008
7010
white
$8500.00
Toyota Vitz
2008
7014
ocean green $9500.00
Toyota Vitz
2008
7016
silver
$9400.00
Toyota Vitz
2008
7435
blue
$9800.00
Toyota Vitz
2008
7655
grey
$9800.00
Daihatsu Sirion
2008
7329
yellow
$7500.00
Daihatsu sirion
2008
7330
green
$7500.00
Mazda Demio
2008
7441
navy blue
$7700.00
Mazda Demio
2008
7731
green
$7000.00
Nissan March
2009
6116
purple
$7500.00
Ford Taurus
2005
6761
White
$6500.00
Dodge Caravan
2006
6799
White
$6500.00
Dodge Caravan
2006
6694
Silver
$7500.00
Nissan March
2009
6116
purple
$7500.00
Nissan March
2009
7336
white
$8000.00
Nissan march
2009
7404
blue
$8200.00
Toyota passo
2009
7011
black
$9500.00
Daihatsu sirion
2009
7326
black
$7500.00
Daihatsu sirion
2009
7328
yellow
$7500.00
Mazda Demio
2009
6599
white
$9000.00
Mazda Demio
2009
6775
navy blue
$9000.00
Mazda Demio
2009
6784
silver
$9200.00
Hyundai accent
2009
7654
silver
$7000.00
Hyundai accent
2009
7656
dark blue
$7000.00
Hyundai accent
2009
7501
dark blue
$6500.00
Ford explorer
2009
7593
silver
$19500.00
Suburban
2009
7529
white
$35000.00
Ford pickup
2009
7703
silver
$24500.00
Ford pickup
2009
7720
white
$23500.00
Feel free to stop by FOR NEWER VEHICLES or call us 649-941-3910
11477
CLASSIFIEDS 33 Is looking for a
Is required for a vacation resort property on Grace Bay Qualifications:
10 years experience in hotel management a must. Must be willing to work on commission with small base salary.
Labourer
Is looking to fill the following positions:
laboUrer Mason needed To work 6 days To work 6 days – $7.50 per hour
Contact: 244-8820
contact: 241-4721
Interested persons can email resume to: resume@tcivacations.com 11516
11511
– $6.00 per hour
GUS MOTORS
LOOKING FOR
1 TIREMAN, 1 MECHANIC, 1 WELDER
Must have a valid driver license from A-H. Must be able to work holiday and weekends. Ability to speak French & Spanish a plus
is looking for a
per week salary $6.00 per hour.
contact: 244-1895
11483
per week salary $6.50 per hour.
11490
Labourer
JOSE OVANDO CONSTRUCTION
Is looking for the following:
Finishing Mechanics – $12.00 per hour
Labourers – $7.00 per hour
Contact: 331-9854
JAFOOE Ltd. Is seeking to employ 2 experience
Sales Associates
Welder To work 5 days per week must have at least 5 years experience salary $10.00 per hour.
• Proven working experience as sales associate • Basic understanding of sales principles and customer • Service practices • Working knowledge of customer and market dynamics and requirements • Track record of over-achieving sales quota • Solid communication and interpersonal skills • Customer service focus • BS Degree
Email: jafooe@gmail.com
fax resumes with cover letter
INSIGHT LTD.
Merchandiser
to: 649-941-8388
11525
11497
LEWIS ASTWOOD
– $10.00 per hour
FACES AND FINGERS
Aesthetician Nail Technician
Is looking for a
domestic worker Salary $5.00 per hour
Contact: 941-4411
contact: 231-0436
NATHANIEL GREGOIRE
The Help Desk (241-7734)
Labourer To work $6.00 per hour.
Contact: 242-2716
Is acting on behalf of its clients to fill the following positions: Royal Robinson
Mason
– $8.00 per hour Symbiosis Ltd
Experience Mechanic (15-20 years experience) $10 per hour Cedar Lodge Cafe
Domestic Worker $5.50 per hour Leslie Watts Carpenter , Labourer, Domestic Worker $8.00, $5.50 per hour
11495
Is looking for a
11505
ASSISTANT MANAGER
Applicants must call 649 946-5919 Monday to Saturday 7am to 5pm Pay set @ $10.00 & 12.00 per hour
KIRK CONTRACTING
KAREN ADAMS POLLARD
11503
TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS
DEL MAR DEVELOPMENTS LTD.
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
REQUIREMENTS: • BA/BSC Degree or equivalent • Plus MBA or currently obtaining Computer Degree or equivalent • 10 years post qualification experience in real estate development • 10 years of international multi-unit property experience • Solid training in all areas of Accounting from A/P, A/R, General Ledger, Credit Collections, Audit, Inventory Control Budgeting, Costing • Advanced knowledge and skills in computer systems and report generating software • thorough understanding of HOA contracts and Contract Management • ability to design condo/hotel concept and take it through design phase, construction stage and through to opening launch DUTIES INCLUDE: • Develop condo/hotel concepts, oversee development and open property • Manage day-to-day operations of two (2) real estate developments, including accounting department and corporate property • Production and presentation of detailed financial reports including, budgets, forecast monthly, quarterly and annual revenue streams • Closely monitor corporate performance and introduce changes or rationalize costs in order to achieve monthly, quarterly and annual budgets and forecasts • Actively involved in yield management and revenue enhancement • Introduce internal audits and controls • Construction monitoring and overseeing all aspects of opening of new developments • Accountable for all operational and financial management of developments and resorts • create and maintain strong relationships and positive communications with stakeholder groups, owners, supplies and community members Salary commensurate with experience Send CV and references to Del Mar Developments by email to: delmardevelopments@gmail.com Suitable applicants will be contacted for an interview
11512
May 9 - 15, 2015
34 CLASSIFIEDS
WATERSKI INSTRUCTOR
• Must be certified with USA, Canada or UK • Water-ski • Must have 7 years experience teaching all levels • Multiple languages are beneficial • General knowledge of boat mechanical skills required • Must have STCW and local captain license • Good communication skills • Must have the ability to swim in all conditions and know how to drive, handle and dock an inboard and outboard vessel
Resume and CV may be sent to: info@nautiquesports.com 11488
May 9 - 15, 2015
TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS
LeShelle Tull Seeks a
Housekeeper
Applicant must be honest, hardworking & reliable 6 days a week Email l.tull@live.com
EXPERIENCED SENIOR PARALEGAL WANTED FOR BUSY COMMERCIAL LEGAL OFFICE IN PROVIDENCIALES Experienced Senior Paralegal required to act as Paralegal to property/commercial partner with at least ten years experience. Dictaphone typing skills (speed and accuracy essential) with a demonstrated ability to type +80 w.p.m. Experience and knowledge of dealing independently with clients and all forms of contracts, commercial and property, security documentation, corporate management, legal accounting systems, commonly used word processing systems, file management systems, and office equipment is essential. Must be able to work unsupervised with excellent communication skills, both written and oral. Must have vehicle and clean driving record. Must be able to work overtime when required. Remuneration based on experience – commencing $40K per annum. Belongers only need apply.
Apply to the Managing Partner, P O Box 260, Regent House West, Regent Village, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands. Fax (649) 946-4663. Email: mslaw@tciway.tc Deadline for applications: 12 May 2015 11486
HERZOG CARIBBEAN LTD. Is seeking to employ an
ASPHALT PLANT OPERATOR Responsibilities • Leadership – Oversees and directs a team consisting of a Loader Operator, Ground Man and Dispatcher to efficiently manufacture and deliver quality asphalt with a positive environment of accountability • Quality Production – Consistently produces quality asphalt. Matches plant production to meet product demand – produces accurate mix volumes maintaining correct mix temperature- maintains appropriate inventory levels of all raw materials • Proactively communicates with HCL team members and customers to maximize quality and efficiency • Maximize Productivity-meets daily production plan by meeting HCL labor targets by managing start-up, shutdown and production times • Completes all plant preventive maintenance procedures according to schedule and fixes breakdowns- welds, cuts and fabricates steel as necessary- utilizes mechanical skills/ hands tools to proactively spot maintenance issues and take corrective action before they become critical- troubleshoots mechanical and electrical control issues • All parts of the facility are consistently neat and clean, reflecting positively on HCL’s public image, general responsibilities • Personally sets an example of behavior is in compliance with applicable company, state and federal safety regulations including
lock-out-tag-out, machine guarding, PPE, fall protection, confined space and fire watch guidelines • Follows required HCL administrative procedures such as timekeeping and recordkeeping • Performs all job functions in a manner that ensures the consistent utilization of standard operation procedures • Controls Training – computer skills, electrical schematic reading skills, piping flow direction and logic, valve operation and pump operation Qualifications: • Minimum 5 years asphalt plant experience • Clean police record • Must have own vehicle to travel to work Skills • Background in electrical/ mechanics • Good physical strength • Good physical stamina • Good manual dexterity • Great attention to detail • Works well as part of the team Compensation • Based on experience Position Type: • Full-Time
Please submit applications to main office at C 5-6 Caribbean Place, Leeward Highway, Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands
HERZOG CARIBBEAN LTD.
HERZOG CARIBBEAN LTD.
Is seeking to employ an
Is seeking to employ an
ASPHALT FOREMAN ASPHALT FOREMAN with the knowledge of managing commercial grading and paving crews. Projects include major airport runways, taxiways and aprons, major retail parking lots, street and road construction, demolition and grading, asphalt paving and pavement markings. Responsibilities: • Ability to perform asphalt paving in accordance with TCI specifications • Ability to read plans and specifications (application rates, grades, slope, drainage, etc.) • Proven track record of completing jobs under budget and on-time • Ability to manage all aspects of the operation including ordering of materials, logistics, maintenance and outside services • Coordination between other crews, subs and vendors Qualifications: • Minimum 5 years asphalt foreman experience • Minimum 5 years of paving experience • Clean police record • Valid driver’s license Skills: • Knowledge of the local customers, materials and specifications is strongly preferred • Demonstrate strong communication and interpersonal skills • Proven record of being a self-starter and able to work under limited supervision • Able to recognize drainage issues • Good physical strength • Good physical stamina • Good manual dexterity • Great attention to detail • Works well as team leader Compensation: • Based on experience Position Type • Full-time
Please submit applications to main office at C 5-6 Caribbean Place, Leeward Highway, Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands
11481
HEAVY EQUIPMENT DIESEL MECHANIC With the knowledge of the standard practices, materials, tools and equipment used in the repair and maintenance of heavy equipment and engines
Responsibilities:
• Applicant will be expected to perform Preventative Maintenance, correct defects, prepare equipment for work daily and make possible field calls Skills: • Knowledge of safety issues in the use of tools, equipment and supplies used in the repair of motorized vehicles and heavy equipment • Skilled in the use of a variety of hand tools • Skilled in the use of gas and electric welding equipment • Skilled in the use of mechanized tool, jacks and hoist • Skilled in the use of a variety of diagnostic testing and tuning equipment • Ability to diagnose mechanical, electrical and hydraulic malfunctions • Ability to read manuals and schematics • Ability to rebuild engines and major driveline components • Ability to enter information in fleet maintenance management software Compensation • Base on experience Position type • Full-time
Please submit application to main office at C 5-6 Caribbean Place, Leeward Highway, Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands
11481
May 9 - 15, 2015
VENDOR'S ASSISTANT REQUIRED Treasures S & S Gift Shop is looking for a Vendor's Assistant to work in Vendors Market. The successful candidate will be required to work at the Market as well as at the Gift Shop as required.. Must have clean Driving Record and Character Certificate. Salary $7.00 per hour
Lew 1 Shipping
One Labourer to work in warehouse Monday- Friday Basic Salary
• Experienced Live in Domestic Worker needed for busy household. • Salary is $900.00 a month. Required to work six days a week. • An experienced Belonger required for this position.
to work three(3) days per week Basic salary
Meridian Trust Company Limited
regulations • Good interpersonal skills and the ability to work with minimal supervision • A high degree of proficiency in use of MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint • Fluency in English and one other language
PO Box 260 Regent House West Regent Village Providenciales
11519
TURKS AND CAICOS NATIONAL INSURANCE BOARD
Vacancy The Turks & Caicos Islands National Insurance Board, Headquartered in Grand Turk invites applications from suitably qualified persons to fill the position of Chief Executive Officer within the NIB.
Reporting: Directly to the Board of Directors and, as required, to the responsible Minister Reporting: Deputy Director Operations, Deputy Director Corporate Services,
Compensation is primarily commission based.
Positions: Financial Controller, Investment Manager, Corporate Secretarial Assistant
Suitable candidates should deliver their CV with a covering letter before May 19th 2015 to The Human Resource Manager, Meridian Trust Company Limited, Level 2, Le Vele Plaza, Grace Bay, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands or by email to barbara@meridiantrust.tc.
11521
have: • The registered Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP) designation • A professional accounting designation (ACCA, CIMA, CPA or equivalent) with at least 5 years postqualification experience and record of progressive responsibility • A good understanding of local and international financial
If you fit the above qualifications please address your application to:
11522
CONTACT: 649-941-5707
TRUST OFFICER
Suitable Candidates will
DOMESTIC WORKER REQUIRED
Seeks the following persons:
One Domestic worker 11506
Contact Paulette Daley at 231-1162
Meridian Trust Company Limited specializes in the discrete management of capital, property and other assets for corporations, private individuals and their families. We are currently seeking a professionally qualified accountant to join our team as a Trust Officer in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
CLASSIFIEDS 35
TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS
The Meridian Club On Pine Cay
Indirect Reporting: Branch Managers – Grand Turk & Providenciales, Marketing & Public Relations Manager, Legal Counsel, Human Resource Manager, Information Systems Manager Liaising: The Minister and Ministry of Finance, The Chief Financial Officer of the TCI Government, Actuaries, External
Relationships: Auditors, Brokers, The National Health Insurance Board, Banks,
Investment Companies, Insurance Companies, Government Agencies, other National Insurance Organizations, Employers and Scheme participants, the public media
Turks & Caicos Islands British West Indies
Objective: The achievement of overall objectives of the National Insurance Board within the guidelines of the National Insurance Ordinance and Regulations and in keeping with its Mission: to achieve social protection for the aged, working population and their dependents by being financially viable and providing social security in a reliable caring and effective manner through competent motivated staff and informed leadership
Email: manager@meridianclub.com Ph:649-941-7011 Fax: 649-941-7010
Executive Pastry Chef at The Meridian Club on Pine Cay Salary:
$10-12/hr or more depending upon training, experience, work record and capability.
Duties:
Must be able to create a large variety of tasty desserts, breads and pastries from scratch (4-5 different dessert offerings must be available each day for lunch and dinner and pastries for breakfast). Must be able to do other food preparations and assist in meal preparation. Must assist Executive Chef in overseeing and training kitchen staff, as needed.
Qualifications Required: - - - - -
Must have degree in culinary arts from an accredited college or university Minimum of 3 years experience as Pastry Chef in 5 star restaurant. (or equivalent) Must be skilled in handling all duties specified. Must be willing to reside on Pine Cay, a small private island on a full time basis. Must furnish health certificate or be willing to undergo medical examination to ensure freedom from communicable disease. - Must be willing to work weekends, nights and holidays Starting Date: October 2015 Contact Person and Contact Information: Debbie Keller, Resort Manager. Fax to 649-941-7010 or email to manager@meridianclub.com a copy of resume with your contact information (mailing address, e-mail address, phone number) Resume must include min. of 3 references with contact information and how you know these people. Also include copy of passport, police report. All qualified applicants will be interviewed within 2 weeks. Please submit applications no later than May 15, 2015
11484
Key Responsibility Areas:
• Provision of strong leadership and management of the NIB’s staff in pursuit of its objectives and the fulfillment of the NIB’s responsibilities. • Achievement of strategic, financial and actuarial targets, and meeting obligations to subscribers. • Proper fiscal management and safeguarding the financial viability of the National Insurance Fund. • Development of strategies, policies and procedures for sound governance and ensuring adherence. • Coordination of the development and implementation of effective human resource and performance management systems throughout the NIB. • Development and execution of internal and external communications strategies, including marketing and public relations, to engage stakeholders for effective policy formulation and operations. • Provision of sound advice, recommendations and reports to the Board of Directors and the responsible Minister.
Required Qualifications:
• A minimum of ten (10) years experience in a senior executive capacity in a similar or related industry, preferably including some experience working with a multi-disciplined Board of Directors • Masters Degree in Business Administration or related discipline from a recognised institution • Proficiency in strategic planning, financial analysis and portfolio management • Training in contemporary management practices and human resource development • Training in marketing and public relations, presentations development and execution, and report writing • Information technology knowledge and its application in monitoring performance standards • Strong communication and interpersonal skills • Proven track record of sound decision making and managerial performance Please send your application and résumé by May 31, 2015. Compensation will be within the range of US$95,550 to US$110,000.
Please respond by mail to: The Secretary Turks and Caicos Islands National Insurance Board Hon. Headley Durham Building, Church Folly Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands, BWI
May 9 - 15, 2015
TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS
PRESIDENTIAL SECURITY
Anthony Garland
Is seeking highly trained professional, experienced
Security Officers To work 5 days per week salary $6.00 per hour.
Domestic Worker
Is looking for a
cashier
Main duties will be taking care of cooking, cleaning, and laundry. Must be able to speak English, Salary starts at $6.50 per hour and is based on experience. Will have to work 6 days a week.
to work 6 days per week salary $6.25 per hour.
Deadline for applications is May 15, 2015. Interested persons should send applications via fax at (649) 941-4034. C/o Alliance Realty Ltd. Only applicants selected will be contacted. 11507
SYSTEM & SALES COORDINATOR/ BRANCH OFFICER network startup and shutdown • Have excellent sales skills Wage: $1,500-$1,800 per monthcommensurate with qualification and experience Please submit application letter and resume to: The General Manager, tcihrstaff@gmail.com. The application deadline is May 30th, 2015. Suitable candidates will be contacted for interview The position is immediately available 11530
SPENCE SECURITY & INVESTIGATION SERVICES, LTD The leading and trusted security company in TCI is in need of personnel to fill up the following position.
TECHNICIAN Qualifications: • Minimum of 5 years experience in alarm industry w/ excellent work history • Computer literate; possess technical or engineering certificates • Possess excellent verbal and written communication skills (English) • Possess a valid TCI drivers license; Must be an excellent team -player Salary starts @ $1300 plus commission Requirements for all positions above: • Comprehensive resume’ w/ 2 ID photo • Employment certificates from previous employers • Training certificates; Police & fingerprint records How to apply: 1. Submit resume’ with application letter, employment and training certificates, copy of police record, passport to Spence Security office 2. Wait for Spence Security personnel to call you for an interview Interested applicants should send resume’ and applicable certificates address to: ‘The HR Manager’ not later than April, 23rd 2015 to: SPENCE SECURITY & INVESTIGATION SERVICES, LTD. P.O BOX #73, Caribbean Place, Leeward Highway, Providenciales Email address:HR@spencesecurity.com Fax: 941-3027 BELONGER ONLY NEED APPLY. Only short-listed applicants will be contacted.
T.C. INDUSTRIAL is looking for the following persons:
Electrician Welder Must be willing to work 5 days per week salary $10.00 per hour.
Contact: 231-1205
11414
Job Vacancy
The successful candidate must: • Be fluent in at least 2 of these languages: English, Spanish, Creole, Tagalog • Have a strong understanding of customer and market dynamics • Have at least 5 years working experience • Be flexible to work rotated shifts, including weekends and public holidays • Possess a Bachelor’s Degree from recognized institution • Have AML/CFT training certificate • Be conversant with computer applicationability to troubleshoot IT systems, routine
SEEKS
11514
contact: 2311000 or 333-1000
SANCHEZ & WILLIAMS CAFÉ
CARIBBEAN COFFEE
Waitress
Sales Person Must be able to work 6 days per week salary $6.25 per hour.
contact: 331-3163/4 11528
C & J EMPLOYMENT
Acting on behalf of our clients: Grant Construction (Alfredo Rosario), Port Atlantic Construction, Sharonica Francis, Tropical Bar, Unity Online Services (Stavano Alex) Claudette A. Simms, Alberto Vilorio is looking to fill the following positions:
Sales Clerks – $5.00 per hour
Babysitter – $5.00 per hour
Domestic Workers – $5.00 per hour
Labourers – $5.00 per hour
Waiters/ Waitress – $5.00-$6.00 per hour
Painter
– $6-7 per hour
Plumber
– $7-8 per hour
Contact: 649-347-2093 11526
contact: 231-2397
11506
36 CLASSIFIEDS
SHARKEBITE BAR AND GRILL An established high volume restaurant requires a
Kitchen Helper Qualifications: • At least 10 years experience in the restaurant industry • Ability to work on line and prep all types of food • Ideal applicants will have experience in high pressure situations with the ability to work independently and as part of a team • All applicants must be willing to work 7 days per week including weekends and holidays Salary $5.50 per hour
Please send detailed resume and cover letter to bistroshannon@yahoo.com Only applicants that send resume will be considered
11501
DINESWAIRE R. JAINARINE Is looking for the following:
Domestic Worker
Gardener
Salary $6.25
Contact: 331-7792 11527
DIVA’S BEAUTY SALON Is looking for a
cosmetologist To work 6 days per week salary $250.00 per week.
contact: 431-0750
11491
Y.A.3.B CONSULTING AGENCY Acting on behalf of our clients: ESSENCE OF BEAUTY PLUS Nail Technician Hair Dresser Barber Salary $6.00 per hour
PENN CONSTRUCTION Plumber – $6.50 per hour
J.R. CONSTRUCTION Painter – $6.50 per hour
B’S BEAUTY BOX Barber – $6.00 per hour
COLLIN PARKER
Domestic Worker – $5.50 per hour
QUICK STOP SHOES REPAIR Shoe Repairman – $6.00 per hour
CECILIA LIGHTBOURNE Domestic Worker – $5.50 per hour
MAYELIN M. MICHEL Babysitter – $6.00 per hour
PROVO ENTERTAINMENT CENTER 2 Waitresses $6.00 per hour
Contact: 344-4540
May 9 - 15, 2015
CLASSIFIEDS 37
TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS
TURKS AND CAICOS AGGRESSOR II 1 Open Water Scuba Diving Instructor / 2ND CAPTAIN
REQUIREMENTS AS FOLLOW: • Valid PADI/SSI/TDI membership and liability insurance • PADI/SSI Enriched Air Instructor • Minimum of 5 Specialty Ratings • Working Knowledge of Under Water Camera/ Videos and Edition • Computer Literate
REPAIR SHOP MECHANIC REQUIREMENTS: • Certified in combustion engines • Must hold valid TCI driving license • Must have excellent written and oral communication in English • Certified in Electrical systems • Must have a minimum of 8 years 2 and 4 cycle engines • Must be a high school graduate • Must have 7 years’ experience in
• STCW95 Complaint • Be prepared to live onboard & work long hours including weekends & holidays • Experienced in the Hospitality industry • Captain’s License (min 200t) Belongers need only apply Starting salary $400.00 a week
Please send emails to tcaggressor@ express.tc or call 941-7825 11394
VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY!!
Painter • Must be able to verify skills • Must be able to hand and finish drywall • Must be willing to do some laborer tasks as needed
Acting on behalf of our clients: Olem Seide
Labourer
per week salary $6.50 per hour.
contact: 339-6100
Salary $5.00 per hour Contact: 243-8590 National Colony Realty Ltd.
11528
Villa Host
To work 6 days per week salary $10.00 per hour.
contact: 332-0771
Tropicon Construction Services Ltd. Is seeking to hire a
Mason
Salary $6.50 per hour
Contact: 421-7526
11493
11492
contact: 231-1928
caretaker/ housekeeper carpenter To work 6 days Is looking for a
Salary $6.00 per hour Contact: 431-5723 Joel Mervielle
Salary $7.00 per hour
LATINO’S CONSTRUCTION
Is looking for a
NATASHA’S CONSULTANCY
is looking for a
Applicants will be submitted to extensive testing and background checks to confirm the above criteria. Deadline for submission of applicants with resume and references may 25th, 2015 by email to: info@ptsequipment.net 11509
QUEEN MANAGEMENT
the largest readership in the turks & caicos NEAL’S CABINETRY & SUBCONTRACTING
diesel and gasoline engines • Must be computer literate • Must have at least 7 years in repairing electrical tools • Must be able to work weekends and holidays • Must have a clean police record • Must be knowledgeable of OSHA • Must have two written references from previous employers Salary $450.00 week
Spa Therapist We are seeking a qualified Spa Therapist with a minimum of five years’ experience for our Thalasso Spa. The successful candidate will be qualified to provide our spa clientele with high quality therapeutic treatments, including a full range of body massages, ear candling, lymphatic drainage, and pregnancy massages, as well as providing manicures and pedicures. This position will also assist the Spa Manager with day-to-day administrative duties, including inventory management, appointments, etc. Salary: $500 to $750 per month and 10% - 12.5% commission on treatments provided, (both salary and commission commensurate with experience) plus service charge. On-site bedsit provided. Belongers only need apply Closing date: 30th June 2015
General Construction Manager An experienced person to head up and oversee construction projects ranging from single family residential to multi-story and multi-building projects. Candidate must have extensive experience in the following areas, Estimating, Scheduling, Accounting and Banking, Material and Product Acquisitions and Personnel Management. Candidate must have been a licensed General Contractor for at least 5 years through current. Candidate must be well versed with the Miami-Dade Building Code. Candidate must have training / experience/ certifications with Plumbing, Electrical, Heating and Cooling Systems. Candidate must be proficient with computers including proficiency with the following software: • QuickBooks Contractor • BuilderTrend Construction Management Software • Excel Estimating Software • MS Word • MS Publisher • MS Outlook • MS PowerPoint Interested persons should send their resume and qualifications to the following:
Please apply in writing to: Point Grace, PO Box 700, Grace Bay, Providenciales. Email: humanresources@pointgrace.com or Fax: 946-5097 11476
Tropicon Constructions Services Ltd. c/o P O Box 599, Le Vele Plaza Grace Bay, Providenciales Turks and Caicos Islands Fax: 649 941 3223 Or email: barbara@meridiantrust.tc
38
May 9 - 15, 2015
TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS
Science & Technology Fruit sugars ‘may worsen food cravings’ say more studies are needed. They say we should all think carefully about how much sugar we eat. But whole fruit is good for us and contains much more than simply fructose. Fruit contains fibre, vitamins and minerals and is a healthy alternative to foods high in added sugars and fat. Pure fruit juices contain a lot of sugar so a small 150ml glass per day is ample, says the British Dietetic Association. Sugar appears in food under
different names - maltose, glucose, fructose, sucrose, lactose, dextrose, honey, syrups, treacle, sugar cane and sugar beet. The World Health Organization says eating a small amount each day around six teaspoons - is fine. But most adults and children in the UK eat too much sugar. The sugary foods we should cut down on, say experts, are sweets, cakes, biscuits, chocolate, and some fizzy drinks and juice drinks.
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when compared to glucose, fructose, the sugar found in fruits, led to more hunger and desire for treats such as biscuits and sweets.
In an effort to learn more about different sugars and how they might affect us, researchers at the University of Southern California in the
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FRUCTOSE, the sugar found in fruit, may increase cravings for high-calorie foods, according to researchers. In a small experiment, reported in the journal PNAS, 24 volunteers consumed a sugary drink sweetened with fructose on one day and glucose on another day. Compared with glucose, the fructose drink led to more hunger and desire for treats such as biscuits and sweets. The findings suggest different sugars may affect us differently. Nutrition experts
told what was in it - fructose or glucose. Shortly after, they were asked to rate how hungry they were. And they underwent brain scans while being shown pictures of tempting food - biscuits, sweets, burgers and pizza - as well as some “neutral” photographs of buildings. Some days later, the same volunteers came in again and repeated the experiment. The only difference was the type of sweetener added to their cherry drink. The brain scans showed that people responded more strongly to photos of food if they had been drinking fructose, rather than glucose. People also reported more food cravings for treats shortly after consuming fructose.
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TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS
Science & Technology Newly found microbe is close relative of complex life
Catriona Finlayson-Wilkins had her son after wearing the device to keep her blood sugar levels normal.
‘First natural birth’ for diabetic woman with artificial pancreas A DIABETIC woman has become the first in the world to give birth naturally after using an artificial pancreas while pregnant, experts have said. Catriona Finlayson-Wilkins, 41, of Knapton, Norfolk, gave birth to son Euan on Tuesday at the Norfolk and Norfolk University Hospital. She is also the first woman to give birth after using the device outside the main research site in Cambridge. Ms Finlayson-Wilkins said she was “thrilled” by her son’s safe arrival. The new mother-of-two has Type 1 diabetes and wore the piece of kit throughout her pregnancy to produce insulin and prevent symptoms of the disease. Three other mothers have previously given birth in Cambridge after using the device but by caesarean section. An artificial pancreas device system (APDS) is a small portable piece of equipment designed to carry out the function of a healthy pancreas. It helps to control blood glucose levels using digital communication technology to automate insulin delivery.
An APDS is worn on the body during pregnancy and has a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), a digital controller and an insulin pump. Ms Finlayson-Wilkins, who is a face and body painter and has also decorated models for local charity Break’s GoGo gorilla and dragon art trails, said: “I’m thrilled. “It’s a huge weight off your mind after being pregnant and diabetic, which is really risky. “It’s the most amazing piece of kit and I can really see how it’s going to benefit all types of people with diabetes in the future.” Her first son was taken into intensive care when he was born because his blood sugar levels dropped dangerously low and she did not see him for a day. Dr Helen Murphy, principal investigator of the study Ms Finlayson-Wilkins took part in, said Euan’s arrival was an exciting step in the treatment of diabetes in pregnancy. “Women who have diabetes in pregnancy face higher rates of birth defects, over-sized babies, pre-term delivery and stillbirth than other pregnant women,” she said.
A NEWLY discovered life form could help resolve one of the most contentious conundrums in modern biology. All organisms on Earth are classified as either prokaryotes, which have simple cells, or eukaryotes, which have larger, more complex cells. But the two cell types are so divergent that understanding how one evolved from the other has foxed biologists. The new microbes, reported in Nature journal, go some way to bridging that gap. They have been named Lokiarchaeota, partly after the Loki’s Castle volcanic vent system lying 15km away from the site where the microbes’ genetic material was isolated in cold marine sediments of the Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge. Prokaryotes are single-celled organisms and comprise all bacteria and archaea (a group of microbes that were once considered to be bacteria, but now form a separate domain of life). Eukaryotes comprise some singlecelled life forms, as well as all multicellular organisms, such as animals, plants and fungi. The gulf between these two groupings is vast. The eukaryotes possess cellular structures that are enclosed within a lipid envelope. The defining trait is the nucleus, which hosts the cell’s genetic material. Another would be mitochondria; these are found in most eukaryotes and act as a cell’s “batteries”. According to a widely accepted theory, mitochondria began as bacteria and were gradually incorporated into eukaryotic cells, perhaps through some relationship of mutual benefit. Lokiarchaeota have genes that code for proteins only otherwise found in eukaryotes, such as parts
The new group of archaea was discovered in sediments along the Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge.
of the cytoskeleton - a matrix that supports cell shape and movement. “Archaea and eukaryotes are sister groups, sharing a common ancestor,” said lead author Thijs Ettema, from Uppsala University in Sweden. He told BBC News: “This has been a leading model for 20 years or so. What happened a few years ago is that the branch in the tree that had the eukaryotes jumped on to the archaea branch. More specifically, it was affiliating with a group known as the TACK archaea.” Lokiarchaeota fall within the TACK grouping and represent the closest prokaryotic organisms to the eukaryote state. According to Dr Ettema, the similarities between them show that Lokiarchaeota shared a common ancestor with eukaryotes roughly two billion years ago, and that this ancestor possessed a “starter kit” of genes that supported the increase in cellular complexity seen in eukaryotes today. He explained: “The fact that we have found these same genes in
[Lokiarchaeota] does not mean that they have the same function as they do in eukaryotes. “But what we need to do to find out what those genes do in Lokiarchaeota is to carry out experiments, and for that we need actual cells.” The team had to reconstruct the new organisms from genetic material found in the cold marine sediments. But the effort to isolate cells will be a challenge. “Getting the samples is not easy, and the amount of nutrients in these harsh environments is extremely limited. So the number of cells in these sediments will be extremely low and in general life down there is very slow. “Some people have made predictions about how often cells divide down there and they have come up with numbers like one division every 10 years. If you want to grow them in the lab, these are not timescales that are feasible.” But the researchers are looking for “Loki-like” organisms in other locations, including hot springs in Yellowstone National Park, in the US, and New Zealand.
Broccoli breakthrough in treatment of arthritis ANYONE who has ever suffered from the painful, immobilising effects of arthritis is all too familiar with the dismal fact that antiinflammatories and painkillers notwithstanding, there is little or nothing that can be done to treat the condition satisfactorily. All that may be about to change, with researchers reporting that an artificial version of a compound found in broccoli could hold the key to treating arthritis. Sulforaphane, the broccoli chemical, is known to block the inflammation and damage to cartilage associated with the condition. Patients would nevertheless have to consume several pounds of the vegetable daily to derive any
worthwhile benefit. In its natural form, sulforaphane is too unstable to convert to medicinal form, moreover. Now, however, UK drug company Evgen Pharma has developed a stable synthetic version of the chemical that offers the potential of a pill treatment. Just one dose of the drug, known as Sulforadex, or SFX-01, is the equivalent of eating 5.5lb of broccoli in one day. Sulforadex significantly improved bone architecture, gait balance and movement in tests on mice affected by osteoarthritis. According to Professor Andrew Pitsillides, who co-led the research at London’s Royal Veterinary College: “These initial results are very positive for such an experiment and
we have convinced ourselves that sulforaphane is a promising agent for the treatment of osteoarthritis. “The clinical development of sulforaphane has been held back by the fact that it is inherently unstable – SFX-01 is a major advance in this area. “There is no cure or effective treatment for the disease other than pain relief or joint replacement, so the potential for SFX-01 is massive,” Professor Pitsillides noted. This latest research adds to several claims associated with broccoli of late. A University of Pittsburgh study found it could be used to prevent throat cancer. In laboratory tests, extracts from broccoli were shown to give mice protection against oral cancer.
Sulforaphane, the broccoli chemical, is known to block the inflammation and damage to cartilage associated with the condition.
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TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS
May 9 - 15, 2015
Wells report places Brady under microscope TOM Brady’s pristine image might have taken a colossal hit in the wake of the findings in the Wells Report released Wednesday, but some people were not exactly shocked by the strong suggestion that the Patriots quarterback stretched the boundaries of fair play. “I’ve known for a long time that he is a cheat,” a league source told the Daily News, hours after Ted Wells officially revealed that the future Hall of Famer was “generally aware” that team employees were deflating footballs. The News spoke to several executives, coaches and players around the league after Wells concluded that “it is unlikely that an equipment assistant and a locker room attendant would deflate game balls without Brady’s knowledge and approval.” The Wells Report found that 11 tested footballs used in the Patriots’ AFC Championship Game win over the Colts in January were under the league’s minimum air pressure level of 12.5 PSI (pounds per square inch). After the initial accusations, Brady denied any knowledge of the deflated balls. Although the Wells Report appears damning, some believe it will not forever tarnish the signal caller’s reputation.
Curry was named the MVP after averaging 23.8 points in 80 games.
James: Curry’s MVP award is ‘well deserved’
The Wells Report’s findings on Tom Brady and DeflateGate are hardly a shock to a number of NFL sources who speak to The News.
“There’s no hit to his legacy,” one rival executive said. “He’s still one of the best quarterbacks in history. “He just figured out a way to manipulate the system.” People across the league told
The News that they believe many quarterbacks tinker with footballs, but Brady seemed to be above the fray. And there is a feeling that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell won’t suspend Brady, one of the marquee names in the sport.
GOLDEN State Warriors guard Stephen Curry was named NBA Most Valuable Player on Monday, and LeBron James told reporters the award is “well deserved” by Curry, according to the Plain Dealer in Cleveland. James, who received five firstplace votes and finished third in the voting, said he was happy to see someone else from Akron, Ohio, win the award. Curry and James were both born in the city. “I think it’s great that another
kid born in Akron, Ohio can win an MVP,” said James. A four-time NBA MVP, the Cavaliers forward said he isn’t disappointed about where he placed this year, according to the Plain Dealer. Curry was named the MVP after averaging 23.8 points in 80 games, adding 7.7 assists and 4.3 rebounds and shooting 44.3% from three. The Warriors went 67–15 in the regular season, the first time in franchise history that the team notched 60 wins in the regular season. (SI.com)
FIFA president wants action on women’s game FIFA boss Sepp Blatter says women’s football is “limping behind” the men’s game in both profile and sponsorship. The 79-year-old also thinks football is too “macho” and wants governing bodies around the world to employ more females in positions of influence. In 2004, Blatter, 79, was heavily criticised for suggesting female footballers play in “tighter shorts” to improve the game’s popularity. But he says he feels like “a little bit of a godfather” to women’s football. “Women’s football is still limping behind a little bit,” said Blatter, who is seeking a fifth term as president of world football’s governing body. “To get new partners for women’s football is difficult because the focus is on men’s football.” Karen Espelund, the only female member of Uefa’s executive committee, told the BBC that women can “add value” to football and football’s appeal. “Football is by far the biggest sport in the world and the professional men’s football is an extremely strong position,” said the Norwegian. “Girls and women add value to
Andrew “Sixheads” Lewis shot to fame in 2001 when he beat American James Page for the WBA World Welterweight title. The 79-year-old thinks football is too “macho” and wants governing bodies around the world to employ more females in positions of influence.
the total product and I find it a little bit strange that not more commercial people see that possibility.” Blatter, who refused to answer questions on the upcoming presidential election, believes change is possible by increasing the quota of women who must be elected to Fifa’s powerful executive committee. The number of women on the committee is currently one, after Burundi’s Lydia Nsekera became the first - and so far only - female elected
onto it in 2013. Moya Dodd, Asian Football Federation vice-president, and Sonia Bien-Aime, president of the Turks and Caicos Islands Football Association, are also on the executive committee but as co-opted members. Last month, Bien-Aime also became the first female elected onto the executive committee of the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football.
Former Guyanese world boxing champion killed in accident GUYANA’S first world boxing champion, Andrew “Sixheads” Lewis died on Monday afternoon in a road accident in the village of Hope along the East Bank of Demerara. The former WBA World Welterweight champion was hit down by a car while riding his bicycle. Lewis, 44, was rushed to the Diamond Diagnostic Centre where
he was pronounced dead on arrival. In 2001, he defeated American James Page to win the World Boxing Association’s welterweight crown in Las Vegas. Guyana declared a national holiday after the Brooklyn-based Guyanese fighter won. Lewis lost the title in 2002. He eventually returned to Guyana where he fought regional boxers before retiring for good.
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TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS
Messi stars as Barca beat Bayern
Manny Pacquiao entered his showdown against Floyd Mayweather Jr. with a right shoulder injury.
Pacquiao has shoulder surgery after Mayweather defeat MANNY Pacquiao is expected to make a full recovery after undergoing surgery on his right shoulder, the Filipino’s publicist confirmed Tuesday. Pacquiao had the operation in San Francisco following his defeat to Floyd Mayweather in the megabucks “Fight of the Century” on Saturday. Surgeon Dr. Neal El Attrache said he could not be “more pleased with the results.” The 36-year-old Filipino suffered the injury during training for his bout against Mayweather. Even if the prognosis for Pacquiao’s recovery is optimistic,
the injury could yet prove costly for the boxer. The former eight-division world champion is being sued amid accusations he lied about the injury in the build-up to the fight with Mayweather, claims the Pacquiao camp denies. The Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) denied Pacquiao a painkilling injection in the build-up to the fight and is considering disciplinary action against him. NAC is reportedly considering disciplinary action against Pacquiao for not disclosing the injury in a form ahead of the fight.
LIONEL Messi scored twice as Barcelona struck three times in the final 13 minutes of the first leg to whisk their Champions League semi-final tie away from a stubborn Bayern Munich side. The hosts seemed set for a frustrating night before Messi fired a low shot home from the edge of the area. Three minutes later he skipped past Jerome Boateng and dinked home coolly. Led by ex-Barca boss Pep Guardiola, Bayern pushed for an away goal and were punished again as Neymar raced clear. Until the devastating conclusion, the Germans had produced an excellent tactical display. Stripped of the twin attacking threats of the injured Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben, they frustrated the hosts for large periods and could have had a goal of their own had Robert Lewandowski connected cleanly with Thomas Muller’s cross. But while Guardiola’s four trophy-filled years at the Nou Camp had been based on monopolising possession and patient build-up, the Barcelona that has emerged in his absence is a more dynamic animal. Their attacking trio of Luis Suarez, Messi and Neymar - while never entirely shackled - had seemed well-guarded after an open initial 15 minutes, but they burst into life at the end.
Lionel Messi scored twice in Barcelona’s win.
Guardiola predicted before the match that it was “impossible” to stifle Messi, but goalkeeper Manuel Neuer’s hurried free-kick that gifted Barcelona the lead was very avoidable. As possession turned over the Argentina forward took advantage of a pocket of space to fire home. If Messi’s first was preventable, his second was irresistible as he left Boateng floundering and deftly lifted the ball over the giant frame of Neuer. Guardiola’s opening gambit on his return to Catalonia had been a back three of Rafinha, Boateng and Medhi Benatia, but that was hastily re-jigged as an under-staffed defence
was initially stretched horribly out of shape. If that tactical mistake went unpunished, Barcelona were more ruthless as Bayern pushed forward late on and Neymar scampered clear in injury time to seemingly end the tie as a contest. Bayern require more of the fighting spirit that saw them recover from 3-1 adrift against Porto in the previous round. Ominously for English teams it was a match that suggested a chasm in class - rather than a statistical anomaly - is behind their recent absence from the latter stages of the competition. (BBC)
Jamaica exacts revenge on U.S. at World Relays, without Usain Bolt
The Bulls’ point guard went from averaging 13.1 points to 20 points. He also improved in his shooting percentage, rebounding and assists average.
Bulls’ Butler selected as NBA’s Most Improved Player JIMMY Butler of the Chicago Bulls has been named the NBA’s Most Improved Player after making his first All-Star team and averaging a career high in scoring. The 25-year-old Butler received 92 of 129 first-place votes and 535 total points from a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors (11 first-place
votes, 200 points) was second and Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz (12 first-place votes, 189 points) finished third. In his fourth season, Butler went from averaging 13.1 to 20 points. His shooting improved from 39.7 to 46.2 percent, his rebounding jumped from 4.9 to 5.8 and his assists increased from 2.6 to 3.3 per game. (Washington Post/AP)
JAMAICA beat the U.S. in sprints on the final night of the IAAF World Relays, without Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in Nassau, Bahamas, on Sunday night. Bolt, who anchored the Jamaican 4x100m team that was beaten by the U.S. on Saturday, sat out the 4x200m but was seen at the stadium wearing headphones and talking into a phone. Bolt reportedly sat out as a precaution due to a minor hamstring injury. No matter, Jamaica still outsprinted the U.S. in the 4x200m, winning in 1:20.97. The Americans dropped the baton on the second exchange between Isiah Young and Curtis Mitchell. Anchor Justin Gatlin received the baton in seventh or eighth place and recovered to cross the finish line third before the U.S. was disqualified due to that failed exchange. “I didn’t even know we dropped the baton,” said Gatlin, the world’s fastest man in the 100m and 200m last season. “I saw the deficit we had. I just wanted to make up as much ground as we possibly can and still get on the medal stand.”
Jamaica’s 4x200 relay team strike a pose on the medal podium after winning the event at the IAAF World Relays Championships in Nassau Bahamas on May 3, 2015. From left are Nickel Ashmeade, Jason Livermore, Rasheed Dwyer and Warren Weir. (PHOTO: REUTERS)
The U.S. women didn’t drop the baton in the 4x100m, but anchor Carmelita Jeter finished .18 shy of Jamaican veteran Veronica Campbell-Brown. Allyson Felix ran the second leg for the U.S. and was passed by Trinidad and Tobago’s Michelle-Lee Ahye before Kimberlyn Duncan and Jeter took the stick.
“I was doing my best to try and hold it and do some work, but I just didn’t feel as sharp as I normally am,” said Felix, who collided with Jeneba Tarmoh in the 4x200m relay Saturday. The U.S. also swept the men’s and women’s 4x400m, the women’s 4x800m and broke the world record in the men’s distance medley relay.
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Warren Weir felt that fellow Jamaican Usain Bolt should have been shown more respect by the less accomplished American sprinter Ryan Bailey.
Weir calls Bailey ‘a little nobody’ after Bolt taunt JAMAICAN sprinter Warren Weir criticised U.S. sprinter Ryan Bailey for disrespecting track and field and Usain Bolt after mocking Bolt’s “To Di World” pose with a throat-slash gesture at the IAAF World Relays in Nassau, Bahamas, on Saturday night. “Especially when you are a little nobody, you really are to show more respect to those who are leading the way and those who have accomplished way more than you have,” Weir said, according to the Jamaica Gleaner. “He disrespected track and field. He also said that Bolt is ‘somewhat of an icon,’ he is an icon and he
was not showing enough respect, not just to Bolt, but to the sport. As an athlete, I feel like he was disrespecting me and as a member of this Jamaican team, I also felt upset and disrespected about it. This is just the beginning.” Weir, the 2012 Olympic 200m bronze medallist, and Bailey also went back and forth on social media. Bailey and the U.S. beat Bolt and Jamaica in the 4x100m relay on Saturday, a race that Weir was not a part of. Bailey received the baton for his anchor leg with a lead on Bolt. Bolt ran a faster leg but could not make up the entire deficit. It was
the first time the U.S. defeated Bolt in a global championship race since 2007. The next night, Weir anchored Jamaica to a 4x200m relay victory without Bolt, who reportedly sat out as a precaution due to a minor hamstring injury. Bailey was not part of the 4x200m relay. The Jamaican team celebrated on the medal stand by doing Bolt’s “To Di World” pose. The U.S. and Jamaican 4x100m teams, likely with Bolt, perhaps with Bailey and unlikely with Weir, could go head to head again at the World Championships in Beijing in August. (NBCSports)
Vonn, Woods announce breakup LINDSEY Vonn and Tiger Woods mutually ended a nearly three-year relationship, according to Vonn’s social media and Woods’ website. “Lindsey and I have mutually decided to stop dating,” Woods said on his website. “I have great admiration, respect and love for Lindsey and I’ll always cherish our time together. She has been amazing with Sam and Charlie and my entire family. “Unfortunately, we lead very hectic lives and are both competing in demanding sports. It’s difficult to spend time together.” Vonn and Woods went public with their relationship on March 18, 2013, one month after Vonn blew out her right knee in a crash at the World Championships. She ended up missing the Sochi Olympics. Vonn and Woods were often seen together at Woods’ golf tournaments, Vonn’s ski races and at least one Denver Broncos football game.
May 9 - 15, 2015
Aaron Woodall is currently undergoing four courses of chemotherapy having already had radiotherapy and an operation to remove a brain tumour.
St Mirren: Six-year-old boy voted club’s player of year by fans St Mirren fans have voted a six-year-old academy prospect as their player of the year - in recognition of his ongoing battle against cancer. Aaron Woodall is currently undergoing four courses of chemotherapy having already had radiotherapy and an operation to remove a brain tumour. Almost 500 fans voted in the poll on the blackandwhitearmy.com website. “Aaron’s strength and courage has been an inspiration to all of us,” a statement read. It added that his battle was “a timely reminder of things around us that are much more important than football”. The youngster was mascot for
the club’s game against Motherwell on 20 December, hours after being released from hospital following surgery the previous month. “We will be in touch with the club shortly to arrange to hand over our coveted trophy to this fine young man,” the statement added. “Congratulations, Aaron, and all the very best with your continued recovery.” St Mirren’s first team are one defeat away from relegation in the Scottish Premiership. The first-team player earning the most votes was midfielder Kenny McLean, who was sold to Aberdeen in January. Defender Jim Goodwin earned the most votes among players still with the Paisley club. (BBC)
World Relays: British Athletics defends absent sprinters
Tiger Woods said that he and Lindsey Vonn found it difficult to spend ample time together because of their hectic sporting careers.
BRITISH Athletics’ performance director Neil Black has defended the sprinters who did not compete at the IAAF World Relays in the Bahamas at the weekend. Richard Kilty said he felt “let down” by absent members as Britain’s 4x100m team missed out on a chance to qualify for Rio 2016 via the World Relays. Among those missing were Adam Gemili, James Dasaolu and Chijindu Ujah. Black said: “That one event will be forgotten in a few weeks’ time and there’s loads of time to qualify.” Britain came ninth in the heats in Nassau, narrowly missing the A final and an early shot at Rio qualification. World indoor 60m champion Kilty
said the team would have challenged for gold had Britain taken their best team to the Bahamas. The reasons given for Britain’s best sprinters skipping the trip ranged from minor injuries to permitted absence due to university exams and summer outdoor plans. Black added: “Our focus is towards the World Championships in Beijing, it’s towards the Olympics in Rio. “With particular reference to Adam [absent to focus on university exams] and James they are on the world-class performance programme as individual athletes and, as a result, we allow them a degree of preference and planning to their individual programme.” (BBC)
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Entertainment Is rap the most important music since 1960? Scientists say they have proof
FORGET The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, the most important development in pop music in the past half century is hip-hop. That’s not an opinion, it’s fact -backed up by hard data, says a team of researchers from two London universities. In a study published Wednesday in the journal Royal Society Open Science, the researchers say they threw out “musical lore and aesthetic judgment” in favour of scientific rigor. “We had a sense that lots of people have opinions about popular music, but nobody has any objective evidence,” said Armand Leroi, one of the study’s authors. To gather that evidence, they used music recognition technology -- similar to what’s in the apps SoundHound and Shazam -- to analyse more than 17,000 songs that made up 86% of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 between 1960 and 2010. The researchers took 30-second
clips of each song and broke them down into topics relating to harmony and timbre, like “major chords without changes” and “guitar, loud, energetic.” Teaming up with the Internet music site Last.fm, the researchers then studied how the different topics fit into different genres and styles, and how their popularity rose and fell over the decades. “Everybody thinks the best music was produced when they were 17 years old. We wanted to do something better than that,” Leroi, a professor of evolutionary biology at Imperial College London, told CNN. Here are some of the most interesting findings of the study: • The rise of rap music and related genres appears to be “the single most important event that has shaped the musical structure of the American charts” in the period the research covered. • Despite talk of a “British invasion,” bands like The Beatles
Rapper Heavy D (center, in shades) poses with members of the U.S. hip-hop group A Tribe Called Quest around 1990. Hip-hop had the biggest influence on pop music between 1960 and 2010, a new study says.
and The Rolling Stones didn’t set off the revolution in American music in 1964. But they did benefit from it and “fanned its flames.” • Although many people complain that pop music has gotten more and more samey, diversity actually increased in the ‘80s and ‘90s as hip-hop emerged and flourished. The researchers said they found “no evidence for the progressive homogenisation of music in the charts.”
• The low point for variety was in the early 1980s, when genres like new wave, disco and hard rock dominated. Leroi said he expects this study -- which he worked on with Matthias Mauch from Queen Mary University of London -- to be the first of many in an emerging field examining the evolution of different cultures through data. People are already applying similar methods to digitised books,
he said, and paintings are also likely to be fair game through image recognition technology. “We will be able to reconstruct the history of art and develop a mathematical theory of its evolution, just as scientists have done for the history of life,” Leroi said. But he acknowledges there are some aspects of culture that the technology can’t reach -- at least for now. “What we can’t do with a computer is understand the meaning of the music to us,” he said. The impact of hip-hop cannot be under-estimated, said music journalist Dorian Lynskey. “It redefines what counts as a pop song and what elements you can use: the rapping on one level takes you away from the need for vocal melodies, while the production on the other is more about loops than chords and sampling. “Hip-hop us a realisation of how James Brown saw music, which is that it’s about the beats and grooves rather than chords and harmonies. It’s the realisation of the innovations of funk.”
Sofia Vergara and ex go head-tohead over embryos on US TV
The woman had also allegedly vandalised two of Chris Brown’s cars and had housed his kitchen counter with paint.
Brown calls police after finding naked woman in his bed R&B star Chris Brown called the police on Wednesday night after reportedly discovering a naked female intruder in his bed. The Kiss Kiss hitmaker contacted law enforcement when he returned to his home in Agoura Hills, California after a trip to Las Vegas to find a 21-year-old woman between the sheets in his
bedroom. The female had allegedly vandalised two of his cars, doused his kitchen counter with paint and used his food and dishes. She was taken to a police station and booked on charges of felony burglary and felony vandalism, according to TMZ. com. (Toronto Sun)
MODERN Family actress Sofia Vergara and former fiance Nick Loeb have spoken out about their frozen embryo battle on duelling morning TV show appearances. Vergara told ABC’s Good Morning America that her ex was taking advantage of her. “I don’t think it’s fair,” she said. Meanwhile on NBC’s Today Show, Loeb spoke of “moral, legal, ethical concepts” concerning lives “that we’ve already created”. Loeb has taken legal action to gain control over two embryos he and Vergara created in 2013 through in vitro fertilisation, before they split up. He wants a surrogate to carry and give birth to them, and to raise the children himself. However, a contract the couple signed states the embryos can be brought to term only with both parties’ consent. “I really want to make this like the last time I talk about it,” the 42-yearold actress said. She blamed the media for bringing attention to Loeb, saying that it allowed “somebody to invent things and create press for himself.” She added, “he’s not an actor. He’s not a celebrity.”
Nick Loeb and Sofia Vergara split up last year.
She added: “It shouldn’t be out there for people to give their opinion when there’s nothing to talk about. There’s papers signed.” Loeb retorted that “two lives have already been created.” “I wouldn’t just toss them aside no different than a child that had been born,’’ he said. Loeb also wrote an op-ed column about the issue in the NY Times. “When we create embryos for the purpose of life, should we not define them as life, rather than as property?” the businessman
wrote. He said he had offered to pay all expenses and take full responsibility for raising the children. “A woman is entitled to bring a pregnancy to term even if the man objects,” he said. Vergara, who is currently promoting her new film Hot Pursuit, is the highest paid TV actress in the US. She has earned Emmy, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild award nominations for her role as the fiesty Gloria in the sitcom. (BBC)
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Paul Collis was on target with his penalty kick for the Sharks.
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TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS
Lenford Singh was instrumental for the winners.
Marco Fenelus fired in a header from a corner kick to open Cheshire Hall’s account.
Cheshire Hall defend Cup title US based footballer Marco Fenelus and an array of talented players from the Cheshire Hall team came back from a goal down to defeat the SWA Sharks in the CBMS
Cup final last Saturday evening in Provo. The ever improving Sharks, who reached the final after defeating Rozo FC the week before, had
opened the scoring when Paul Collis executed a well-placed penalty, but the talented Fenelus, who was initially drafted by the New England Revolution earlier
this year, showed his superiority as he equalised straight after with a header from a corner. The Sharks had the better of the first half, but they failed to impose
Stallions sweep Flyers now overwhelming favourites for PABA title DEFENDING champions the Grand Turk Stallions’ dominance in the post season continues with another series win, this time against rivals the Five Cays Flyers. After a win in game one on Friday night the Stallions defeated their main rivals 62-56 on Saturday night at the Gus Lightbourne Sports Complex court in their three peat quest. Marcusson Lightbourne led the attack with 12 points, six rebounds and two assists while D. Seymour scored 11 points to go with four boards. T. Lightbourne added 10 points, five boards and five assists. R. Fulford, who was on target from the free-throw line, had a game high 20 points for the Flyers, while guard Anthony Cash added 15
points. In the other semi-final clash, Police, who had lost to the Knights in game one, bounced back for an 8370 point win to set up a game three clash this Friday night. The finals are scheduled to tip off on May 16. Evans Dubois and Melvin Elsie led the attack for the winners with a barrage of threes. Dubois fired six shots from beyond the arc in his game high 30 points, while Elsie had four three points in his 21 points (also five boards). S. Germain added eight points and 12 boards, while K. Doughty finished with eight points and eight boards. For the Knights D. Gardiner finished with 25 points, while P Russell added 15 points.
The Grand Turk Stallions are one series away from a three-peat.
themselves. With the likes of Fenelus, Rodne Etienne, Ketroy Rose and Lenford Singh, Cheshire Hall were able to stamp their authority on the game for a 6-2 win.
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TURKS AND CAICOS WEEKLY NEWS
Hope LeVin with her trophies after dominating at the 11th Miami Kite Masters a few weeks ago.
Instagram recognition catapults LeVin’s popularity
TCI’s national long jump record holder Ifeanyi Otuonye jumped a wind assisted 7.98M at last Saturday’s meet.
Otuonye now third best Division 1 college jumper in US – Long jumps wind aided 7.98M IFEANYI Otuonye has dreamt of passing the eight metre mark all of his athletic life and now he feels it’s possible before this season ends. Two weeks ago his hopeful mark was set at 7.7M, now that’s a distance memory, more so since in his latest competition he achieved a greater feat. At last Saturday’s Rock Chalk Classic the Kansas State University student jump a wind assisted 7.98M to defeat the other 17 athletes and move into the top three of all Division 1 college jumpers in the US for 2015. The jump is only the third over 26 feet by any college athlete this season in the US. Unfortunately the wind was 0.7 metres per
second higher than the amount allowed which resulted in the former Munro College student not breaking his national record (7.58M). He did however win the event by over two feet. “It’s crazy because my goal was just getting over 7.7M for the longest jump. It was so surprising to just burst so far into 7.9M like that.” For Otuonye reaching the eight metre mark is his next goal. “For sure the next thing on my mind is 8 metres—that’s the goal, no looking back. I’m heading forward and aiming for higher goals now.” The world’s record (8.95M) has been held by American Michael Powell since 1991.
HOPE LeVin is no longer a rising star in kiteboarding. The TCI athlete has actually become the face of the sport globally all thanks to Instagram. The 22-year-old is the first kiteboarder to be recognised by the Instagram social media app and a GoPro image of her taken here in the Turks and Caicos shared by them received over 600,000 likes. For LeVin the attention has “certainly helped” move her career in the right direction. “This is just one of many stepping stones toward bigger things in the future!” LeVin, who began participating in the sport when she was 11, said that every day she is learning to be a better athlete and that she understands the importance of sponsorship and marketing. The Provo resident who started competitive kiteboarding in 2013 has come a far way, just last month she notched up two wins at the 11th Miami Kite Masters with top finishes in the Women’s Freestyle and the Women’s Racing (Slalom). In January this year at the DR Open in Punta Cana LeVin won the Women’s Sup race. “I thank God for what I’ve been able to achieve so far.” LeVin is now focused on competing at the Triple S Invitational in North Carolina at the end of the month and organising the 9th Windvibes Watersports event in TCI on July 5.
Jones scores hat trick as Police down Hurricanes A hat trick of tries from Callis Jones saw the Miller Simons O’Sullivan Police RFC defeat the PWC Hurricanes RFC in a tale of two halves at the Meridian Field on Saturday (May 2nd) in a friendly rugby clash. The Police side came out stronger from the kick off with Dean Griffith cutting through the Hurricanes’ back line to score the first try of the game. From the ensuing kick-off the Hurricanes sought to test the younger members of the Police squad, but they were up to the task and soon the Police were back in the Hurricanes’ half. Jones scored his first try trundling down the right wing leaving a pile of defenders in his wake through a series of vicious hand offs. Jones would cross the white wash twice more before the half with the Police getting out to an early 20-0 lead. Playing with the wind it appeared it would be one-way traffic again in the second half as the Police were once more
moving up the field. Sean Taylor took a clearance kick at fullback and appeared to have run past the entire Hurricane team before being stopped by Tyrese Taylor. The Police maintained the ball and following a tap penalty Sean O’Neill crashed over the line for another Police try. As the second half wore on the Hurricanes superior fitness came to the fore. Kicking from deep they chased well and a Tyrese Taylor break led to Lincoln Outten scoring their first try. Outten would get on the scoreboard again after another long run, this time from AJ Forbes. Late in the second half the Hurricanes were briefly down to 14 men as Scott Glinton was shown a yellow card by referee Fraser Dodds, but the Hurricanes withstood the storm and when Glinton returned to play he made his mark, scoring under the posts on the final play of the game. It wasn’t enough though as the Police came out 25-15 winners.
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