VOLUME 10 ISSUE 47

DECEMBER 13TH, 2014 – DECEMBER 20TH, 2014 VOLUME 10 - NO. 47 $1.00

When Washing clothes always wash full loads and use only the necessary amount of water. Also be sure to use cold water unless instructed to do otherwise and consider line drying as opposed to electrical dryers.

Green tips to save you some Green —

www.fortistci.com | 649-946-4313 | P.O. Box 132 Leeward Highway, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands

www.facebook.com/tcisunTel: (649) 339-5879 Fax: (649) 941-3281Website: www.suntci.com Email: [email protected]

Continued on Page 7

By Vivian Tyson

UK GIVES TCIHIGH MARKS

EIGHT YEAR-OLD ANEKA IS EXTRAORDINARY: As eight year-old Anneka Charles and her mother Cynthia Hinsey were returning from a Thursday Fish Fry event held in the Bight sometime last year, the car in which they were both travelling was hit by a taxi at the intersection of the Gus Lightbourne Round-a-about and Suzie Turn in Providenciales. Hinsey did not survive the crash but Anneka did. She, however, had to be airlifted to The Bahamas after the accident left her in critical condition. She eventually pulled through and is now perfectly normal. She is said to be doing well in her school work and has settled well with loving family members. Because of little Anneka’s remarkable survival, she was named “Extraordinary” by telecommunications giant Digicel, which had changed its slogan from

“TCI’s Bigger, Better Network”, to “Be Extraordinary”.In this photograph, Ava-Dayne Fulford (right), Head of Marketing at Digicel and Danicia Elliot, Sales Representative, present little Anneka with a bicycle for Christmas. The twinkle in her eyes and infectious smile tells the story of her joy at receiving the gift.

United Kingdom ministers were overly impressed by the economic

figures coming out of the Turks and Caicos Islands, according to His Excellency Governor Peter Beckingham and Premier Hon. Dr. Rufus Ewing, who have just returned to the TCI after a Joint Ministerial Council Meeting in London involving all of the British Overseas Territories. In addition, the local government said that the ministers were confident that based on the impressive economic figures of the country, the Turks and Caicos Islands should have no problems securing commercial loans on the markets by 2016, after the $260 million UK Department for International Development (DFID) loan would have been repaid. Governor Beckingham noted: “TCI came out of the meeting very effective.” New DFID Minister Desmond Swayne, who pored over the country’s economic numbers with the Premier, according to Governor Beckingham, was impressed with what he saw. At the meeting, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Cayman Islands had the two most impressive economic reports, but Premier Ewing said that, even though both countries agreed that they have been making tremendous financial strides, the work has only just begun. “I think both countries – the Cayman Islands and the Turks and Caicos, even though we were pleased with the degree of our economic recovery, we still stated that there is much that can be done, in especially focusing on small and medium size enterprises, to facilitate trickling down effect in the economy of the surpluses that both countries are experiencing,” the premier said. Premier Ewing said that the meeting also gave some of the territories, including the TCI, the opportunity to meet new Overseas Territories Minister,

James Duddridge, for the first time. “We had bilateral meetings with both the Minister for Overseas Territories, as well as the minister for the Department of International Development. And my specific focus was on the recovery of Turks and Caicos and the current status of the budget. We also focus on beginning to prepare ourselves for renegotiating for what we called the Financial Framework Document – the document that sets the targets

for Turks and Caicos Islands such as how much reserve. The framework document speaks to allowing us to have additional funds outside of the consolidated fund,” he said. He said that the Turks and Caicos Islands also raised the issues of establishing two additional treasuries outside of the Consolidated Fund. “The two particular funds that we are looking at are the Conservation Fund, which deals with the environment, and also the

Scholarship Fund. I think I was able to convince the minister that these are something that is important to the Turks and Caicos Islands and we should indeed have. And that will form part of the framework document negotiations,” he said. The premier, whose background is in medicine, co-chaired the session on health, also highlighted security in the region.

Premier Ewing finally gets new SUV

- Page 7

Prison warden stabbed - Page 9

The mistreatment of accident patient

Nicole Gray - 9

Governor would like a local commissioner of

police Page 7

LOCAL NEWS TURKS & CAICOS SUN DECEMBER 13TH, 2014 – DECEMBER 20TH, 2014

LOCAL NEWS

Continued from Page 2

LOCAL NEWSDECEMBER 13TH, 2014 – DECEMBER 20TH, 2014 TURKS & CAICOS SUN


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LOCAL NEWSContinued from Page 1

Premier said that the Joint Ministerial Council meeting, which is a confab where all the leaders of the British Oversea Territories gather to discuss common issues affecting all the territories, as well as issues that are specific to the respective territories along a set agenda, discussed a wide range of issues. The issues, he said, included immigration, national security issues, healthcare, economic development and financial services sector.

“Of particular interest to Turks and Caicos, which we made a significant contribution both directly as co-chair, and also through contributions during

the course of the meeting, was in the area of healthcare and the area of illegal immigration and border security, stating our concern regards to illegal fishing and poaching in our waters and our relationship with the Dominican Republic, with regards to boundaries, as well as the issue with the need for more marine vessels to use in our waters, to help us secure and protect our borders. “I gave several recommendations that will benefit the Turks and Caicos as well as the other Overseas Territories. The recommendation spoke of assisting Turks and Caicos in the procurement of more

marine vessels, the establishment of greater presence from the Royal Navy in our waters outside of the hurricane season, to be around so that we can have a greater chance of intercepting illegal migrants coming to our shores or drug trafficking or gun-trafficking in our waters,” the premier said. The premier also notified the Foreign Secretary on the Constitutional Review Document, which was handed to him days before his departure to the UK. Premier Ewing said that he did not get to discuss the document at length with the minister on the grounds that it is yet to be debated in the local legislature.

UK gives TCI high marks

Governor Peter Beckingham and Premier Rufus Ewing during the news conference to highlight their visit to the Joint Ministerial Meeting in the UK.

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Premier finally gets new official vehicle

The controversial Chevy Suburban SUV secured for the Premier’s Office but was forced to remain on the lot because it was not obtained properly has finally been released. The vehicle was released at the top of the week, enabling Premier Hon. Dr. Rufus Ewing to get his first ride on Tuesday night (December 9, 2014) when he arrived at the Providenciales International Airport from his overseas trip, which took him to London and New York. Reporters spotted the slick black SUV parked downstairs the Premier’s Office on their way to a news conference on Tuesday (Wednesday, December 10, 2014), called by Premier Ewing and His Excellency Governor Peter Beckingham, to elaborate on their trip, and asked the premier to comment on the mobile upgrade. “I saw it last night (Tuesday, December 9, 2014) when I got in (from New York). It has (been approved) for the Office of the Premier, finally. I had it (first ride) last night when I came in,” Premier Ewing explained.

A 2012 integrity Commission recommendation that was eventually passed into law dictated that there should be no outright purchase of government ministers’ vehicles, just lease agreements only. It recommended that government departmental vehicles can be purchased. And it was understood that the Suburban vehicle that was ordered for the premier had a lease or purchase

agreement, but it should have been leasde only. To that end, the vehicle had to remain on the lot until that matter was resolved. The premier explained that the legislative crumple in the procurement of the Suburban was ironed out, and so, the vehicle was released to government via lease. “The vehicle is on a leased-based arrangement with Butterfield Motors. It satisfied all of the procurement

guidelines that has set out and laid out in the relevant audience, and also the procurement process,” the premier explained. In an earlier interview with members of the media, Premier Ewing called for a change in the ordinance that deals with procurement of government vehicles, arguing that the current one is cumbersome and a burden to government’s progress. “The ordinance as it is needs to be changed. It is not about us saying you can purchase one way or the other; it is about government having the option to get value for money in whatever you purchase. That should be the underlying principle, not that you can’t purchase or you can’t lease. It should be you keeping your options open for purchase or lease as long as you get value for money – that should be the principle. “So the ordinance would need to be changed to reflect that. That change has to come through the Integrity Commission who developed the reports and for the House to affect those particular changes,” the premier said.

The new Chevy Suburban SUV obtained for the Premier’s Office is seen parked outside that office in Providenciales

By Vivian Tyson

Governor would like a local commissioner of police Governor Beckingham said that during the cabinet meeting earlier in the day, he told the elected government in no uncertain terms that he would have loved to see the next police commissioner coming from the Turks and Caicos Islands. “I talked to the Cabinet frankly on it this afternoon, and I said that I am sure that we want to look at the possibility of someone internally eventually taking over,” he said. Meantime, the Governor said there is no foreseeable impediment to prevent reinstated Deputy Commissioner of Police Rodney Adams from applying for the job of Commissioner of Police in the future, according to His Excellency Governor Peter Beckingham. Governor Beckingham made the announcement while fielding questions from members of the media regarding the appointment of a new Commissioner of Police James Smith, a decorated

veteran from the British Metro Police Department. “I see no reason at all why he (Adams) shouldn’t be in the frame in the future, and I am sure that Mr. Smith would also consider that too. Don’t forget that the Attorney General is now from the TCI, so I think that sets a strong precedent actually,” Governor Beckingham said. He told members of the media that since the end of Commissioner Farquhar’s contract was fast approaching, the selection committee comprised himself, Attorney General Hon. Rhondalee Brathwaite-Knowles, Human Rights Commissioner Doreen Quelch-Missick, attorney Cheryl-Ann Tull and a police advisor based in Florida, had to go ahead and make the recruitment, because it would have been very tricky to wait on the outcome of Adams’ corruption trial, not knowing what the result might have been.

“Clearly, and perhaps I am being over-frank, but clearly

it would have been very difficult with the deputy commissioner having been suspended for a considerable period of time. And indeed when we were looking for a successor, because we had to do so, because the contract with Commissioner Farquhar was coming up, so we had to go head and recruit without knowing the result of case. So it was impossible to consider the then deputy or now deputy,” the governor elucidated. In the meantime, Governor Beckingham revealed that almost 40 persons applied for the top job, and a source said that many of them were locally-based police officers, including Adams. “We had an open board, there were 39 people who applied for the job, and the four of us who were on the board – the attorney general, the chairperson of the Human Rights Commission, Cheryl-Ann Tull and a police advisor who is based in Miami, and myself, and we were convinced

that that Mr. Smith was the best person for the job,” Governor Beckingham said. In the meantime, the governor said that based on Smith’s vast experience, which took him to Hong Kong and the Cayman Islands, where he acted as commissioner of police, and responsible for hundreds of officers while with the Metro Police, is confident that he would improve on the TCI’s low crime rate. “I am very confident that, with his experience, he should step into the current commissioner’s shoes and deliver what is clearly regarded in London and in New York – both the events we talked about – (as a low crime rate). I think one of the prime selling points remains that we have on a comparative basis – a very low crime rate. I don’t want to tempt fate, because things can change very quickly. But I am in no doubt at all that it is a strong selling point for Turks and Caicos Islands,” Governor Beckingham said.

Governor Peter Beckingham


LOCAL NEWS

BLUE HAVEN RESORT is inviting applications for the following position:

STORE-ROOM CLERK - This person will manage all the F&B storages at Blue haven, this person will have the main keys and she/he will deliver and deal with the orders from every outlet. Reporting to the Food and Beverage Director, responsibilities and essential job functions include but are not limited to the following:

Responsibilities: •Manage orders to and from every outlet of the resort. •Must keep the store room, freezers and coolers organized. •Keep inventory organized with minimum and maximum up to date •Answer questions regarding procedures and resolve discrepancies regarding receipts, deliveries and repairs. •Receives and stores documents and confidential files; maintains record of approved document and confidential file destruction. •Provide weekly and monthly inventories

Requirements •Must have previous experience in same or similar field •Computer literate in Microsoft Office applications required •Must be able to work a flexible schedule including nights, weekends and holidays. •Highly responsible & reliable with the ability to work well under pressure in fast paced environment. •Ability to work cohesively as part of a team •Must be able to lift/push up to 75lbs

Salary for this position will commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Please Submit Applications to:[email protected]

A copy should also be submitted to the TCI Labour Department.

Submissions to be no later than December 19th, 2014Belongers need only apply.

Former London Police Commander Appointed new police commissioner in

Turks and Caicos islands A new Commissioner has been appointed to the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RTCIPF), it was announced by the Governor Peter Beckingham, today Wednesday 10 December. According to a press release from the Governor’s office, James Smith will take up the position in charge of the 280 officers and staff of the RTCIPF in February 2015, following the conclusion of the contract of his predecessor, Canadian Colin Farquhar. “I am delighted that we have secured the agreement of Jim Smith to take over as the next Police Commissioner this February. He brings the most senior experience from both the UK and Caribbean, having been an Assistant and Deputy Chief Constable in the UK, and was previously also Acting Police Commissioner of the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service” said Governor Peter Beckingham, who approves all senior public appointments in the Territory. “He was a Commander

in London’s Metropolitan Police Service, where he was involved in the response to the London terrorist bombings, and introduced neighbourhood policing, a concept which we might usefully further develop here. He was also a senior officer in the Scottish police. His experience makes him a first class leader to take forward the men and women of the RTCIPF into the next stage of their professional and organisational development.” The Governor also paid tribute to the outgoing Commissioner. “I would like to take this opportunity to publicly recognise the contribution of Commissioner Colin Farquhar to policing here in the Turks and Caicos Islands, which continues to benefit from one of the lowest crime rates in the Caribbean and is widely recognised as a largely safe and welcoming destination for our residents and visitors. I wish him well as he resumes his policing career in Canada”. Commenting on his appointment James Smith said;

“It is a tremendous honour to be appointed Commissioner of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force. I believe that my experiences in the UK and overseas have a lot to offer my new RTCIPF colleagues, and I look forward to discussing with them their ideas as to how we can use this knowledge and practical experience to serve all the communities across the Turks and Caicos Islands.” The RTCIPF Commissioner role was advertised locally, regionally and internationally. It attracted a field of nearly 30 applicants. Six candidates were shortlisted and interviewed by a panel comprising the Governor, Rhondalee Braithwaite-Knowles, Attorney General, Cheryl Astwood-Tull, Chair, Human Rights Commission, and Larry Covington, Foreign and Commonwealth Office Regional Security Adviser to the Caribbean Overseas Territories and a former UK police officer. They made a unanimous decision to appoint Jim Smith.

New Commissioner of Police James Smith

Great response to brand TCI in New York The government is upbeat that its New York investment-seeking trip will bear much fruit for the Turks and Caicos Islands in the area of tourism and investment. His Excellency Peter Beckingham and Premier Hon. Dr. Rufus Ewing, who attended the Joint Ministerial Meeting in the United Kingdom, stopped in New York on their way back to the TCI, to promote the Turks and Caicos Islands by meeting with potential investors, travel wholesalers and travel agents. Both said that they are cautiously optimistic about snaring some of those investors to come to the TCI and set up shop. “We were able to meet up with some very important individuals. These are travel wholesalers, travel agents and investors, who sell Turks and Caicos on a daily basis, and who are looking forward to investing in Turks and Caicos,” Premier Ewing said. He said also that current Turks and Caicos Islands investors were also invited to meetings to make tourism pitches on the government’s behalf, which he said went extremely well. “What we tried to do is to get most of the major investors, who are already in the Turks and Caicos to act as the mouthpiece for us to promote Turks and Caicos to other investors; to convince them that this is the best place on earth to come, work, live and invest,” the premier said. He said the while he met with persons, who appeared willing to put their faith in the Turks and Caicos, was not in a position to release any names, saying it could jeopardize future negotiations, as no official deal was inked. “We are looking for investors who are willing to develop new types of resorts and high-end brand resorts

in Turks and Caicos. I actually have persons who are interested. I am not going to say that they will end up being persons who will invest. But the mere fact that we get them interested in Turks and Caicos is important, and we do have their contact information and we will be meeting with a number of them in the very near future. “When we do that (divulge names), those things have implications. It really put people on the spot before they make a decision to come. And so, I don’t think it would be appropriate for me to call their names, other than if we had any kind of agreement,” Premier Ewing said. The premier said that almost all of the wholesalers and travel agents in attendance at the reception are luxury travel dealers, which he said makes the TCI an easy sell. He said, too, that some of them are already selling the Turks and Caicos Islands. “We portray ourselves as a luxury travel destination and high-end. And we are really catering to that high-end market, so a number of persons in the room, who are luxury travel persons will focus more on Turks and Caicos more in that regard,” he said. He added that the official opening of the expanded Providenciales International Airport, the opening of new FBO – Blue Heron Aviation, and the impending relocation to a swanky new home the Provo Air Centre, should boost the local tourism appeal overseas.

“We know that we are opening a new airport expansion this December, two new FBOs, and what we will have in a few years is room keys,” he said. In the meantime, Governor Beckingham deemed the New York trip a success, saying that it may open lots of doors and opportunities for the Turks and Caicos Islands.


LOCAL NEWS

Turks and Caicos SunSuite#5, Airport Plaza

ProvidencialesTurks and Caicos Islands

Tel: (649) 946-8542Fax: (649) 941-3281

Email: [email protected]

Read us online at www.suntci.com

Publisher & Editor-in-Chief: Hayden Boyce

Senior Editor: Vivian Tyson

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and Production Manager: Kelano Howell

The Turks and Caicos SUN is a subsidiary

of The SUN Media Group Ltd.

We are committed to excellence in journalism, educating and informing

our readers, serving and satisfying our advertisers and assisting in the overall

development of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

ABRAHAM & GALLIS GRAND TURK LTD. and its affiliated chain of signature brand stores trading as Ron Jon Surf Shop, Pirana Joe, Del Sol, Silver Sun and Splash Down, at the Grand Turk Cruise Center, South Beach Grand Turk, is accepting applications along with CVs/Resumes from interested and suitably qualified persons for the following positions:

SALES SUPERVISORS and SALES CLERKSRequiRements:

•A sound educational background•A minimum of five years (Supervisors) and two years (Sales Clerks) general merchandising experience in a highly trusted or related field of employment or business

•Proven and unblemished track record of employment•Positive and disciplined attitude and aptitude toward work in a customer service oriented business

•Excellent communication, inter-personal and customer service skills•Trustworthy and reliable disposition•Must be willing and able to work flexible hours, including on weekends and public holidays, as necessary to meet the challenging needs of cruise ship schedule and/or reasonable needs of the business.

•Clean criminal record•All candidates must be proficient in the English written and spoken word. Command of a second language will be a definite asset

lAbouReRRequirements:

•Handyman to assist with cleaning and maintenance•Ability to give general assistance to Sales Clerks on receiving and storage of merchandise•Proven and unblemished track record of employment•Positive and disciplined attitude and aptitude toward work in a customer service oriented business

•Excellent communication, inter-personal and customer service skills•Trustworthy and reliable disposition•Must be willing and able to work flexible hours, including on weekends and public holidays, as necessary to meet the challenging needs of cruise ship schedule and/or reasonable needs of the business.

•Clean criminal record•All candidates must be proficient in the English written and spoken word. Command of a second language will be a definite asset

Suitable candidates that do not meet the above requirements may, at the sole discretion of the Company’s management team, be eligible for consideration in circumstances where they demonstrate a clear willingness to embrace the Company’s in-house training initiatives and established standard operating policies and procedures. Preference will be given to documented Turks and Caicos Islanders.

Written applications only and accompanying CVs/Resumes must be addressed to the Regional Manager at the following address:

Via mail or delivery: Abraham & Gallis Grand Turk Ltd. Ron Jon Surf Shop Grand Turk Cruise Center Grand Turk Turks & Caicos Is.

Via email to: [email protected]

Mentally ill prisoner stabs officers in eye Four officers were injured, one severely, after a mentally unstable prisoner at Her Majesty’s prison in Grand Turk attacked them with a broken mop stick on Tuesday (December 9, 2014). The badly injured officer was stabbed in his eye and neck, after four of them were in the process of assisting a male nurse to administer medication on the mentally ill patient. The medication was to calm the agitated prisoner. The severely injured officer was flown to the Cheshire Hall Medical Centre for emergency treatment, as the injury was deemed too severe for the Cockburn Town Medical Centre to deal with it. It understood that badly injured officer was bleeding from one of his eyes and profusely from his neck at the time of him leaving the prison for treatment. One of the officers was scraped across his nose and another two were stabbed on their arms. Those injuries were not considered serious, and it is understood that the three other officers were still able to work. The SUN understands that the incident happed on the second occasion that the nurse, with the assistance of prison authorities attempted to give the prisoner his medicine after he had become agitated, and they tried to calm him. It is understood that on the first attempt, he muscled away the needle away from the nurse and squirted out its content. And when they returned with the refill he managed to get a hold of a sharp piece of broken mop stick with which he used to attack the officers. The Nurse escaped unhurt. The SUN understands that there are at least 10 inmates at Her Majesty’s Prison in Grand Turk suffering from mental sickness of some sort, and

while some of them can become violent, they are also being ill-treated by other prisoners. On Tuesday (December 2, 2014) Roneko Missick, who is serving time for the murder of Dominican national Santa Suarez, a waitress at Sailing Paradise in Blue Hills, appeared in court to answer to a charged of causing grievous bodily harm on Thomas McIntosh –a mentally ill inmate. He was accused of dousing McIntosh with hot water causing severe burns to his back. Missick, being represented by attorney Glenda Clarke, pleaded not guilty to the charge. It is understood that in recent time mentally ill persons who are adjudged to have run afoul of the law, have been placed at the facility, and because of their limited rational capacity, often get into trouble with their more stable counterparts. It is said that, like other mentally challenged inmates, McIntosh, since his incarcerated at Her Majesty’s Prison, has faced tremendous abuses from other inmates, including being beaten with drop cord and other implements. “They have about 10 or so persons in the prison that are mentally challenged, and the problem about it is that, it is not a place for them. They need to find somewhere else to send them because they are forced to live with normal people, and sometimes, because of their mental state, can be annoying to other prisoners. And that is why the normal inmates are abusing them, but that should not happen,” a well placed source told The SUN. Most times the mental inmates, because of their nocturnal antics, create sleepless nights for regular prisoners, thereby irritating them. “You have fellows, who want to sleep

at nights, but the mentally ill prisoners are making noise, making loud sounds, shouting, screaming straight through the night, and that annoys some of the other prisoners, who sometimes take out their frustration on them by beating them,” the source said. A prison authority source said that the matter is compounded by the fact that prison inmates are not trained to handle mental cases. “The prisoners complain that the mentally unstable prisoners are irritating, but more so, the prison officers don’t have the type of training to deal with those types of people. They are trained to be custodians – lock-up and supervise – those types of stuff. But to deal with mental patients, they don’t have the training for that,” the source said. It understood that some time ago, persons suffering from mental sickness were shipped to the Bahamas or Jamaica for treatment, but according to the source, that programme has been scaled back. “Sometimes they bring in the mental health nurse to give them their medication, but that is as far as it goes. In the past they were sent to the Bahamas and Jamaica, but they do not do that anymore, and so, the number of mentally ill patients in the prison is growing and growing,” the source added. In the meantime, McIntosh’s father, Thomas McIntosh, has retained the services of attorney an attorney to represent him in a lawsuit against the prison for negligence.

DPP Meloche was not pushed to resign, says Governor

Out-going Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) JoAnn Meloche was not booted from her job, but voluntarily decided to step away as chief prosecutor for the Turks and Caicos Islands, according to Governor Peter Beckingham, who was fielding questions from the media during a news conference on Wednesday (December 10, 2014), at the Premier’s Office in Providenciales. There have been rumours, since it was revealed that Meloche would be leaving the DPP job, that the governor’s office asked for her resignation following the Rodney Adams corruption acquittal. But the governor emphatically rubbished the claim, telling that media that he was not aware that such empty assertions were being propagated. “That is completely untrue. I can categorically deny that. I wasn’t aware that people were saying that, but I can categorically say it is not the case,” the governor said. He said that the Canadian, who is the Turks and Caicos Island’s first DDP, formally notified him of her intention not to renew her contract. He said that government is now in the process of recruiting Meloche’s successor, saying that an advertisement for the job has already been posted. “She has formally resigned, saying how much she has appreciated the challenges and the opportunity to work here. She wrote a very gracious letter of resignation, which I, obviously had to accept, and we are going through

the process of advertise for a successor. And I very much hope that there will be people from the TCI that apply,” Governor Beckingham said. He added: “She wrote to me, completely voluntary, said it was time to move on, and I don’t think, her letter, she would want to make public, but if she does, I am happy to release it – I have to ask her. We agreed that I should go ahead and advertise for a successor. “Her contract was up, which she could have asked for an extension but she didn’t. So whether you call that a resignation or her contract was up, maybe it’s both.” Some who battled Meloche in the courtroom, told The SUN that despite their legal skirmishes with her, they have the utmost respect for her, and it would be sad to see her go, because she has brought some level of professionalism not only to the office of the DPP, but also the courtroom. “She was a fierce rival in the courtroom, sometimes I believe she was a bit controversial, but a lot of us defense lawyers are somewhat controversial too – that is the occupational hazard of the job sometimes. “But I can say that she has brought some level of accountability to prosecution in the Turks and Caicos justice system, even though sometimes we know that she has been given basket to carry water by the evidence that she has been given to work with sometimes,” said one lawyer, who gave his opinion on condition of anonymity.


LOCAL NEWS

The Alexandra Resort & Spa is inviting applications for the following position:

Activities Fun GuideessentiAl Duties & Responsibilities: •To assist in teaching and coordinating a skill or activity, maintaining a standard that lead to a quality program. •To plan ongoing daily activities in conjunction with the resort wishes and encourage our guest(s) •To assist in setting up special events such as Manager’s Cocktail Party •Administer first aid to children/guest in accordance with company policy •Set up activities ranging from volleyball to karaoke and other exercises

RequiRements: •High School Diploma •Specialized training in activity area •Good character, integrity, adaptability, enthusiasm, sense of humor, patience and self control. •Energetic and Friendly •Patience in dealing with children and customers •Strong communication and interpersonal

LINE POSITIONS:- Labourers, housemen and pool and Beach Attendant

Salaries for the position listed above will commensurate with education and experience.

Please Submit Applications to:

[email protected] A copy should also be submitted to the TCI Labour Department.

Submissions to be no later than December 19th, 2014Belongers and Permanent Residents of the TCI need only apply.

INTERCARIBBEAN AIRWAYS IS SEEKING TWO CERTIFIED DISPATCHERS:

Must have 5 years experience in navigation facilities over airline routes and at airports as well as the take off. Must be competent in airline communication and meteorology. Experience with monitoring, analyzing and/or calculating various flight factors such as weather reports, runway performance and weight balance issues.

Salary commensurate with experience.

Position require the following:

➢ Excellent command of the English language – reading, writing and speaking.➢ Good communication skills and team player➢ Detail oriented & organized individual➢ Ability to work shifts, early mornings, late nights, weekends and Holidays.➢ Clean police record➢ Able to work under pressure

Belongers need only apply.

Interested person should apply to [email protected] or via fax to HR Department 649-946-4040.No phone call please. Qualified candidates will be

contacted for interview.

Probe launch in crash landing

The local Civil Aviation Authority has launched an investigation into the crash landing of an InterCaribbean aircraft on Sunday (December 7, 2014) at the Providenciales International Airport. The Beech 99 craft with two passengers and two crew members on board developed mechanical problems with its landing gear, while approaching the airport from Grand Turk. First responders, TCI Airports Authority officials, management and staff of the airline at the airport and at its offices, as well as curious onlookers

watched with baited breath as the aircraft made a regular touch down at about 1:45p.m., before dropping on its belly close to its nose and skidded along the runway before coming to a stop. No one on the flight was injured. Waiting Fire and Rescue personnel rushed to the craft the second it came to a stop, in their attempt to avert any looming danger, ensuring that the passengers and crew alight the craft without incident. InterCaribbean airlines said that all its emergency procedures were activated and the full resources of the company were mobilized to respond to the incident. When contacted, Tom Swann of

the Civil Aviation Authority confirmed to The SUN that an investigation has been launched into what caused of the incident. He said that since the Turks and Caicos Islands falls under the British administration, the investigations will involve some element of the British Aviation. InterCaribbean said that in conjunction with the Turks and Caicos Civil Aviation Authority, and the Turks and Caicos Islands Airport authority, it was able to secure the site and remove the aircraft from the runway in approximately one hour. “The care of our customers, crew members, and their families is our highest priority” said interCaribbean

Airways CEO Trevor Sadler. The SUN did request an interview with the pilot, who many in the community are hailing as a hero, but Sadler said that based on certain protocol, such as the completion of local and international investigations, he would not be available for media quizzing at this point. He said, too, that based on the incident, the pilot would have to be cleared by local authorities before climbing back into the cockpit. The Beech 99 aircraft are about 40 years old and although they have not been manufactured for quite some time, they are said to have a robust and highly-reliable history of operation.

First responders attend to the ill-fated InterCaribbean plane that crash-landed at the Providenciales International Airport.

By Vivian Tyson


LOCAL NEWS

BLUE HAVEN RESORT is inviting applications for

the following positions: RESTAURANT SERVERS - Reporting to the Restaurant Supervisor, responsibilities and essential job functions include but are not limited to the following:

Responsibilities •Prepares the tables, laying out napkins and utensils, making sure the condiments are refilled, performing all other preparation tasks. •Staying updated on current menu choices, specialties and menu deviations, knowing if the kitchen staff is running out of any items…etc. •Handle the table bookings, direct customers to their tables, presenting menus, suggesting dishes, assisting in drink selection, informing customers about food preparation details, communication specific customer needs to the cooks. •Understands and can communicate products and services available at the hotel. •Filling in for absent staff as needed. •Assisting with special events as needed. •Obtaining revenues, issuing receipts, accepting payments, returning the change. •Greet all guests warmly with an appropriate greeting. •Properly open and pour wine at the tableside.

RequiRements •Ability to speak and hear •Frequent walking and some standing at times •Frequently lift/carries up to 25 lbs •Able to reach hands and arms in any direction and kneel and stoop repeatedly. •Fluency in English (1 additional language desirable) •Ability to work independently, multi task and prioritize responsibilities •POS experience – (IQ Ware desirable)

LINE POSITIONS: Gardeners, Labourers and Kitchen Stewards.

Salaries for the positions listed will commensurate with skills and experience.

Please Submit Applications to:[email protected]

A copy should also be submitted to the TCI Labour Department.Submissions to be no later than December 19th, 2

INTERISLAND AVIATION SERVICES GROUP SEEKS

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER •0-15 years related experience in Commercial flight operations. •Must have a demonstrated knowledge of weight & balance, flight planning and ETOPS operations. •Knowledge of the practices and procedures of all airside and landside activities and functions as outlined in Ground Flight Operations Manual and Regulations. •Competency in PC Windows, Email, Databases and Microsoft Office tools is expected. •Ability to develop and train workforce, build relationships, utilize skills in the workforce that is most appropriate.

•Ability to execute functional aspects relating to domestic travel transactions and maintain records and documentation.

•Ability to operate all equipment relating to the job.

•Ability to communicate in a clear, concise, understanding manner, and listen attentively to others, understands material, and provides instruction to employees. Schedule the appropriate staff compliment to ensure the smooth and effective operation of shift.

•Coordinate with authorities in all International/Domestic Stations, Security measures affecting aircrafts, passengers, luggage and goods.

•Manage local and International carriers contracts. •Salary commensurate with experience


Interested person should apply to [email protected] or via fax to HR Department 649-946-4040.

No phone call please. Qualified candidates will be contacted for interview.

Small businesses cry for bigger piece of tourism pie

Lloyd “Skipper” Stubbs, Head of the Independent Taxi Association is calling for Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) to get a bigger slice of the local tourism pie, accusing the bigger players of wheeling food away from the mouths of them and their families. Stubbs, who is the owner and partner in two small businesses – a taxi operation and a gift shop, said that big resorts, dive operators and restaurants are competing against them, which he said should not be the case. “In the Island there are many more growing SMEs, for example, boating sailing, diving, fishing, sunset cruises and other water sports, restaurants, tours, transportation to name a few. In those industries, locals are really finding it hard to compete with the giants in the industry – such as hotels, duty-free shops, dive shops, tour companies, airline vacation companies and private airport – FBO,” he said. He urged government to step in and address the apparent disparity, adding that the law has dictated that only Belonger business should be engaged in certain areas of business. “We are appealing to government for help and protection against these industry giants who are marginalizing the small man or the local businessman

and dictating how we do business and what percentage of the market share is given to the local or TCI industries. In TCI the hotels are competing against SMEs in gift shops, tours, water sports, restaurants, taxis, VIP and transportation on the whole,” he said. Stubbs pointed out that non-TCI duty-free stores selling souvenirs are getting exemptions, while local vendors selling souvenirs pay full customs duties on their store products, which he said leaves no room to compete against the expats with money. “We believe local vendors should get some exemptions on products sold at their store to tourists once they can produce a valid up-to-date vendor’s license,” he said. He said some time ago, government penned an agreement with Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort and Spa a to advertise and encourage their guests to visit the local craft market as trade for a piece of beach front property that the market was being built. “Today the Italian Village is on that beach front and the market in the back. Yet up to today, although the resort assisted with upgrading the cultural market, they are not advertising the local cultural market on property to their guests. There is not signage to encourage their many guests to visit the shops at the market. Instead, what they did was build a mini mall

on property in front of the market, selling the same products as local small vendors, even doing braiding on the beach. This has to be wrong. Something has to be done to even the playing field for locals. We just want a fair share,” he asserted. He added: “These practices are unfair to local business persons as the tourism pie is supposed to trickle down into the local economy.Take a look at restaurant, water sports, and gift shops. Most hotels on island offer these services on property, again, a TCI-only business. Yet, most of them discourage their guests from venturing outside to try he local products. “In tours, VIP and taxi transport, most resorts on island are killing this local SME by getting involved with

small amount of drivers. Contracting transport from their resorts to airport for a price lower than the government rate or for a commission on the tours, even selling VIP transportation to their guests when resort transport is supposed to be complementary. How are the local SMEs to survive?” Stubbs said those who speak out against the perceived injustice are ostracized resort operators. “This can in no way be fair as SMEs, we want to play our part delivering quality service, abide with the government’s rules and provide for our families. We, as local SME business persons want to feel a part of this tourism industry. We want to be looked at as partners, not employees. We want to be part of the Hotel and Tourism Association. We want a voice.

“We want to help our TCI tourism industry in 2014 and beyond – we feel left out. We are appealing to the tourism industry giants for your help in sharing the taxi transportation pie more fairly with all taxi operators in Turks and Caicos Islands,” he said. Stubbs said that sharing the tourism pie will create more opportunities for more Turks and Caicos Islanders to become entrepreneurs, thereby helping our country to grow. Stubbs made a presentation on the issue at the recent Tourism confab, held at Beaches Turks and Caicos.

By Vivian Tyson

Lloyd “Skipper” Stubbs.


LOCAL NEWSLOCAL NEWSLOCAL NEWS

Women in Sports honours Sonia Bien-Aime at Gala DinnerSonia Bien-Aime, President of the Turks and Caicos Islands Football Association and executive member of football’s (soccer) world governing body FIFA, and the Caribbean Football Union, was the honouree of the first Annual Women in Sport Gala held at the Regent Palms on last Friday (December 5, 2014). Bien-Aime was honoured for her exploits in not only local but also international football. The event was attended by the who’s who in the Turks and Caicos, including Acting Governor Hon. Anya Williams, Minister of Health and Human Services Hon. Porsha Stubbs Smith, Minister for Finance Hon. Washington Misick and Leader of the Opposition Hon. Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson. The following are photo highlights of the event.

Sonia Bien-Aime (right) accepts her award from Rita Gardiner of Women in Sports

Joddy Harvey of 4 News and husband Duran

Tealeh Wright of the Bahamas, and who flew in to support Sonia Bien-Aime is seen with TCIFA Executive Member Alvin Parker and

Tamara Hall and Paula Garland of the TCIFA

Basneal Bien-Aime and wife Sonia, who was the honouree

Zoya Faessler and Lavardio Phillips of 4 News

Hon. Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson

From left - Monet Collymore, Judy Handfield and Cynclair Musgrove From left Yvonne Garland and Shirley Hentutler From left – Yvette Marcelin, Michelle Swann and Allan Robinson

Former Premier Galmo Williams and wife Althea Williams


LOCAL NEWS

Sonia Bien-Aime (right) accepts her award from Rita Gardiner of Women in Sports

Local TCI athletes from left - Sanadia Forbes, Akia Guerrier and Myah-Audae Simpson. All three participated in the CARIFTA Games and JAGS McCartney Relays

Gertrude Saunders-Forbes (right) and Giselle James-Wright Her Excellency Acting Governor Anya Williams brings greetings

Gordon Burton and wife Zanita Burton

Edith Cox, executive member of Women in Sports brings brief remarks

Opposition Member of Parliament Hon. Josephine Connolly, applauds Sonia Bien-Aime’s achievements

Minister for Health and Human Services Hon. Porsha Stubbs Smith brings greetings

Cathy Brathwaite Forbes and Dr. Denise Brathwaite-Tennant

Minister of Finance Hon. Washington Misick brings greetings

The inspiring Ann Chatz, ESPN’s Sports Journalist was the guest speaker at the event

From left – Trina Adams and Jo-Anne Bassette


LOCAL NEWS

Minimum 2 years sales experience Experience in jewelry sales

Impeccable references and police clearance Impeccable English, other languages –advantage

High level of customer service and customer attending skills Sales references-advantage

JEWELER NEEDED WITH THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS Minimum 5 years experience in setting and sizing gold, silver

and gems Tel: 649-946-1083 Fax: 649-946-1988 E-mail:

[email protected]

T.C.I Consulting D’ BELLE BEAUTY FASHION SALON

T.C.I Consulting

is here seeking a Technology system Specialist should have a least 11 year

experienced Skill and Certi�cation in CCNA level and NCSE should be able to work unsupervised and work long

hours included holiday as well

We are looking to Immediately �ll this position. Belonger applications are preferred should

you be interesting forward your CV to [email protected]

1 COSTOMOLOGIST

SALARY: $6.00 per hrContact: Sheer Elegance

Saloon (Tel 244-0227)

Salary $5.50 per hour6 days per week

Contact 243-7218

WANTED1 PAINTER

6 days per weekInterested person should contact

Tito Boyce 241-4395

NEEDED1 CARPENTER

Salary $ 7.00 per hour

NEW ERA PETROLEUM LTD

Sunday to Wednesday 6:00am to 11:00pm/Thursday to

Saturday 6:00am to 2:00amStarting salary is $6.00 per hour, (44) forty-four hours per week.Interested

persons can apply in person at the office, please bring your resumethe office, please bring your resume detailing your employment history.

Contact: (649)-946-5564

IS SEEKING A CASHIER

new life woRship CenteR,

UPC, is accepting resumes for position of Sunday School Teacher. Candidates should be able to cast God’s vision and lead the association into a new era by helping churches fulfill their mission in developing the members to reach their full potential in God and foster partnerships between other charitable organizations. Base salary is set to $14,400.00 per annum.

Send resumes to_Attention: New Life Worship Centre, Kishco

Plaza, Leeward Hwy or email to [email protected] by

December 19th, 2014.

BIG AL’S ISLAND BURGER

is CuRRently seeking A bARtenDeR: some of the Duties ARe As follows:

CheCk iDentifiCAtion of CustomeRs to veRify Age RequiRements foR puRChAse of AlCohol.

CleAn glAsses, utensils, AnD bAR equipment. bAlAnCe CAsh ReCeipts, stoCk bAR with beeR, wine, liquoR AnD RelAteD supplies

suCh As iCe, glAsswARe, nApkins AnD stRAws.

sAlARy is $5.00 peR hR. must be flexible to woRk moRnings, evenings, holiDAys AnD weekenDs. pleAse submit youR Resume to Doug CAmozzi At the sAlt mills next to RoyAl Jewels no lAteR

thAn DeCembeR 21st, 2014.

PS 23 Management Company

is currently looking for a Carpenter. Successful

Applicant will be responsible for designing, building, installing, and repairing

structures, fixtures, furniture, and other items using

different types of materials including wood and steel. Salary is $10.00 per hr.Work hours are flexible

Interested persons should submit their applications to North West Point Resort or call Tel # 946-5955 no later

than Dec. 21st, 2014.

Seasonal Spa Therapist/EsthecianRequirements:

•Diploma in massage therapy or equivalent.•Prior experience in a 5-star luxury environment.•Extensive knowledge of Eastern style massage, wraps, facials and other treatments.•Proficiency in English.•Must be able and willing to work all days and shifts•Must be available for approximately six monthsDuties Include:

•Providing spa treatments to resort guests and day spa guests.•Maximize the revenue of the department through massage and retail product sales.•In addition to performance of the essential functions, this position may be required to performa combination of supportive functions, with the percentage of time performing each function tobe solely determined by the supervisor.Starting salary $5.50 an hour not including service charge

Interested applicants should apply to Regent Palms, Human Resources Department, Monday through Friday, and bring along an updated resume, or by emailing your resume to [email protected], no later than end

of day Friday, December 26th, 2014.


LOCAL NEWS

Administration and Finance Officer – Providenciales

Part time 30 hours a week

The Red Cross is looking for a part time experienced Administration and Finance Officer who will be responsible for ensuring the fluent financial and administration management of the TCI Red Cross in relation to the overall TCI Red Cross at a national level, along with providing support to the Provo office, it’s programmes and the overall management of the financial systems.

Qualifications •Working knowledge of Microsoft Suite (Word, Excel) •Financial Software (Quick books) •Seven plus years of finance experience •Three plus years in basic administration

Experience in the Red Cross or another humanitarian organization would be an asset.The successful candidate will also be sensitive to diversity, able to work cross-culturally and adhere to the Red Cross principles throughout daily responsibilities as well as working with the most vulnerable in the community. You will be required to provide support and work in Disaster Response.

For the full job description and an application form, please contact our Provo office on 941 8056 or by email

[email protected]

Deadline for applications is 19TH December 2014.

INTERCARIBBEAN AIRWAYS SEEKS:

Aircraft MechanicsExperience working on piston and turbo-propeller aircraft.Responsible for inspecting, servicing, repairing and testing aircraft, engines and related systems as directed. Read, understand and work from aircraft mainte-nance manuals and specifications. Salary commensurate with experience.

PILOTSTo be a commander of the EMB 120-ATC.Must have a valid Airline Transport Pilots license, First class medical and 3,000 hours flight time aero planes, 1,600 pilot command including 500 hours experience on multi crew turbine propeller airplanes and 100 hours on type (jet prop). Salary commensurate with experience

All positions require the following:

➢ Excellent command of the English language – reading, writing and speaking.➢ Good communication skills and team player➢ Detail oriented & organized individual➢ Ability to work shifts, early mornings, late nights, weekends and Holidays.➢ Clean police record➢ Able to work under pressure


Interested person should apply to [email protected] or via fax to HR Department 649-946-4040.

No phone call please. Qualified candidates will be contacted for interview.

Statement from December 10th Cabinet meeting His Excellency the Governor, Hon. Peter Beckingham, chaired 30th meeting of cabinet on Wednesday 10th December 2014 at the Hilly Ewing Building on Providenciales.All Ministers were present. Madam Attorney General (Acting), Ms Khalila Astwood was in attendance in the place of Madam Attorney General Hon. Rhondalee Braithwaite-Knowles. •Approved contract awards for Ambulances in Providenciales, Grand Turk, South Caicos, North and Middle Caicos; Designing a water osmosis plant in Salt Cay as well as repairs to Five Cays road. • Approved request from Trial Enterprises for import duty concession assisting with the renovation and restoration if the Historic Turks Head Inn Hotel in Grand Turk. • Approved business application submitted by Turks Fleet Ltd seeking permission to operate in a restricted business activity under the Business Licensing (Amendment)(No.3) Regulations 2014. •The Limited Partnership Ordinance, Companies Ordinances, Mutual funds Ordinance and Trade

Marks Ordinance would be referred to the Attorney General’s Chambers and FSC with a view to including these amendments within the draft Companies Ordinance and subsequent legislation. • Approved the application for long lease over parcel 60602/204, 205, 340 and road subject to the provisions of the Crown Land Ordinance. • Approved application for crown land, South Suburb, Grand Turk subject to the provisions of the Crown Land Ordinance. • Agreed that the Ministry of Finance should draft Terms of Reference for the appointment of a Project Manager to oversee a 2 year project through the infrastructure fund to centralize the tour operators and vendors in Grand Turk. Also a recommendation to have permanent police presence in the Cruise Terminal beach areas of Grand Turk. Tourist Board to look at redeveloping Tourism Booth through infrastructure fund in the Cruise Terminal in Grand Turk. • Crown land unit to identify a location for Tour Operators including establishment of a tour operator and vendors facility, a tourist board help desk and

taxi despatch centre. • Agreed to the tendering of works for dredging of navigational channel at Sandy Point, North Caicos so it would be open for safe use by mariners. • Approval of a fast track booth in Providenciales for Diplomats. • Approved the formation and recognition of the Turks and Caicos Islands Fishing Co-operative Inc. • Received and noted the report of the proposed amendments to the National Parks Ordinance and undertook to review the National Parks Committee’s recommendations and thereafter present the report for Consultation. • Governor to liaise with officials in the Dominican Republic to discuss a common fisheries protection policy to protect TCI waters. • Recognised the problems recently faced by TCIG Department and offices on Front Street, Grand Turk and would look to devise a short term and long term strategy to dealing with the storm surge issues. Further information on these matters will be provided by Ministers in due course.

Huge boost in Grace Bay CCTV coverage Seven Stars Resort has completed a $200,000 installation of close to 100 high end IP CCTV High Definition Cameras, integrated over their fiber optic IP network, covering both inside the resort and the Grace Bay Road and beach access. With this new system, they have the ability to capture true day/night HD quality images ensuring 24/7 coverage at various indoor and outdoor locations. In particular, they allow perimeter coverage using higher quality cameras for recognition of potential incidents along the Grace Bay Road area. A security team will staff the

viewing station on a 24/7 basis reviewing multiple 42” LED TV’s for incidents in real time. There are also advanced analytics on the system to detect various events which the security staff can then review. This allows them to instantly report any suspicious activity or crime in progress directly to the police. “Grace Bay and Providenciales is by far one of the safest tourist destinations in the Caribbean,” says Ken Patterson, Managing Director of Seven Stars Resort. “We along with the other resorts in the area have established a true community and business partnership with the police to

ensure that together we continue to be the one of the safest destinations in the region by maintaining a zero tolerance to crime. This new state of the art security system will benefit our guests, our staff, the police and the general public by helping to keep Grace Bay a safe place to work, visit and enjoy at all times of day and night.” Framed by white-sand beaches and the marine preserve of Princess Alexandra National Park, Seven Stars embraces the natural environment and beauty of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Seven Stars Resort features a magnificent pool that serves as its centerpiece, luxuriously appointed

junior, one-, two-, and three-bedroom suites, island inspired gourmet dining, a tranquil spa, a resort-owned catamaran offering daily excursions and complimentary water sports such as kayaking, surfing, snorkeling in the calm waters and along the acclaimed Grace Bay Beach. Recent accolades include being named to Condé Nast Traveler’s Gold List as one of the World’s Best Hotels and Resorts, Top 10 Ranked Resort in the Caribbean by U.S. News and World Report, Top 25 Spa’s in the World by Condé Nast Traveler, and being named one of the Top 500 Hotels in the World by Travel + Leisure, among others.


LOCAL NEWS

FINANCE ASSISTANT - PermanentMotivated, self-starter who is willing to work as part of a dynamic, fast-paced team. Reporting to the FINANCE MANAGER, you will be working within the Fi-nance team ensuring all work is performed in line with Digicel Play/WIV policies, procedures and deadlines.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

•Reconciliation of daily close out of cash to bank statements and system reports

•Preparation of bank reconciliations•Managing Accounts Payable function including liaising with creditors, posting invoices and processing payments

•Active involvement in the month end process•Reconciliation of Balance Sheet accounts•Ad hoc duties•Supporting the Finance Manager•Liase with Auditors, Bankers, Statutory Authorities.

Academic Qualifications & Functional Skills

•Bachelor’s degree in a Finance related field•Working towards obtaining an accountancy qualification•At least 2 years accounting experience •Experience in AP, AR and bank reconciliations•Experience in dealing with auditors, both internal and external•Experience in a dynamic fast-paced multinational environment desirable•Excellent communication skills•Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, and previous experience of using an ac-counting package desirable

•Flexible and adaptable to an ever changing set of responsibilities, con-strained by tight deadlines

Only Belongers need apply – Salary Based on Experience

Interested applicants should forward their resume to [email protected]

Deadline for submission December 29th, 2014

Grand Turk residents win Digicel $5,000 home makeover

Zelda Parker and her daughter Ashley Parker will surely be having a merry Christmas, thanks to them winning a $5,000 kitchen makeover courtesy of Digicel and KB Homes. The presentation was made to the mother and daughter duo on Tuesday (December 9, 2014) at KB Homes located along the Leeward Highway n Providenciales. Winners have the option of chosing either a living room or kitchen makeover. The two chose to do their kitchen. For Zelda, the home makeover is a dream come true, since she was wrapping her head around how to cough up the finance to overhaul her kitchen, which in recent time saw the refrigeration breaking down and the four-burner stove operating only on one burner. “Coming to the Christmas time we were trying to see how we are going

to renovate our home. Our kitchen was the part that needed it the most. We had a fridge that went bad about a month or so ago. The stove – three of four burners were missing out of it, and we were wondering how we are going to makeover our kitchen. God is an on-time god. He just presents it to us in this time of form, and we really appreciate it,” she said. Ava Fulford, Head of Marketing at Digicel, explained that Digicel launched its Christmas promotion on November 11, which enables customers to win two categories of main prizes – a home makeover and $10,000. Fulford said that Digicel flew in the winners from Grand Turk to Providenciales, so they could be presented with their prizes. For the home makeover, customers are required to top up at least $10 to their prepaid phones and for the $10,000 grand prize, customers are asked to purchase a Sumsung or

Digicel smart phone. “Ashley is actually the one who topped up and won, and she has chosen to makeover her kitchen. We have a complete kitchen set here – fully stainless steel. We are happy that our partners from KB Homes have partnered with us to provide this gift. We are happy that Ashley has won; they have an incredible to story to tell,” Fulford said. Ashley Parker explained that when she was called by Digicel to be notified of the prize, she believed it would have been something of lesser value. “I am thankful for the prize from Digicel. I know I was going to win it but I didn’t know the prize that they were going to give. I just made a top-up of $10 and about two days after I got a call saying that I won. We would like to thank Digicel for this great promotion. We have been using Digicel for the first day they open,” she said. Manish Uttamchandani of KB home said that the partnership with Digicel has allowed his enterprise to see additional traffic. “We are happy to partner with Digicel as well. We have received a pretty good response (from the partnership with Digicel). A lot of people turn up to the store asking what the promotion was all about; whether it’s the furniture package or whether it’s the stainless steel package. As you

can see, the winners are from Grand Turk, and we will be happy to provide them with the prize in Grand Turk,” he said. In the meantime, Fulford said that there is one more home makeover to be won, as the promotion continues up to the Christmas week. She said that persons can buy a smart phone for as low as $69. “In addition, when they purchase their handsets, they walk away with a 30-day data package free. So they walk from the store with a 4G data plan on it. So we implore people to top up because you could be the next winner. In addition to the home makeovers, you can also get free credit and cash and phones,” she said. Two persons also walked away with $1,000 during the presentation. They are James Menelas and Courtella Forbes.

Ashley Parker (second right) and her mother Zelda Parker (right) are the proud winners of one of two Digicel Makeovers Christmas Promotion. Sharing in the moment are Head of Marketing at Digicel Ava Fulford (centre); Pavan Uttamchandani (left) and Manish Uttamchandani operators of KB Homes store.

By Vivian Tyson

James Manelas and Courtella Forbes pose with their $1000 cheques won after purchasing handsets at Digicel. Sharing in the moment is Head of Marketing at Digicel Ava Fulford


Alexandra Resort is inviting applications for the following positions:

Front Office ManagerDirectly supervises all front office personnel and ensures proper completion of all front office duties. Directs and coordinates the activities of the front desk, guest services, and telephone areas. Prepare monthly reports and budget for front office department.

Summary of Responsibilities: •Ensure that all employees are, at all times, attentive, friendly, helpful and courteous to all guests managers and other employees. •Ensure logging and delivery of all messages, packages and mail in a timely and professional manner. •Maximize room revenue and occupancy by reviewing status daily. Analyze rate variance, monitor credit report and maintain close observation of daily house count. Monitor selling status of house daily. •Verifies that accurate room status information is maintained and properly communicated. •Ensure guest satisfaction with the smooth and effective running of the day-to-day operation. •Maintains working relationships and communicates with all departments. •Check cashiers in and out and verifies banks and deposits at the end of each shift. •Enforces all cash-handling, check-cashing, and credit policies. •Resolves guest problems quickly, efficiently and courteously. •Upholds the hotel’s commitment to hospitality. •Maintains master key control. •Supervises workload during shifts.

Educational and Other Requirements: •Minimum of 5-7 years of previous Front Office Management experience in a senior leadership role. •Hotel Management/Bachelor Degree •Computer literate in Microsoft Office applications required •Knowledge of Visual One preferred. •Verbal and Written Communication Skills. •Highly responsible & reliable with the ability to work well under pressure in fast paced environment. •Must be able to work a flexible schedule including nights, weekends and holidays.

Salary for these positions will commensurate with qualifications and experience.Please Submit Applications to:

[email protected] A copy should also be submitted to the TCI Labour Department.

TURKS HEAD YACHT CLUB is seeking applications from suitably qualified candidates for the

following positions. The successful applicants must:

RESTAURANT CAPTAIN -Have at least 10 years’ experience in the hospitality industry with at least 5 years’ experience in a supervisory position -Be at least 30 years old -Have a clean criminal record -Have a valid passport -Have previous experience with MICROS POS systems -Possess the ability to remain calm in a high stress environment -Must be willing and able to work flexible hours, including on weekends and Public Holidays, as necessary to meet the challenging needs of the cruise ship schedule and/or reasonable needs of the businessRESTAURANT COOK -Have at least 10 years’ experience in restaurant kitchens managing, ordering, preparing and hands on cooking in a supervisory position. Experience in tourism would be an asset. -Be at least 30 years old -Have a clean criminal record -Have a valid passport -Have previous experience with MICROS POS systems -Possess the ability to remain calm in a high stress environment -Must be willing and able to work flexible hours, including on weekends and Public Holidays, as necessary to meet the challenging needs of the cruise ship schedule and/or reasonable needs of the businessSERVERS / BARTENDERS/SALES ASSISTANTS -Have at least 5 years’ experience in the hospitality industry, experience in the tourism would be an asset -Possess the ability to remain calm in a high stress environment -Be well spoken with English as primary language -Have a valid passport -Be at least 25 years old -Have a clean criminal record -Must be willing and able to work flexible hours, including on weekends and Public Holidays, as necessary to meet the challenging needs of the cruise ship schedule and/or reasonable needs of the businessBEACH ATTENDANTS -Have a clean criminal record -Have a valid passport -Hold a valid certification in CPR and First Aid -Have at least 3 years’ experience in the tourism and hospitality industry. -Must be able to swim -Must be physically fit and well presented with a trustworthy and reliable disposition -Excellent communication, inter-personal and customer service skills with English as primary language -Must be willing and able to work flexible hours, including on weekends and Public Holidays, as necessary to meet the challenging needs of the cruise ship schedule and/or reasonable needs of the business Preference will be given to documented Turks and Caicos Islanders Written applications only and accompanying CVs/resumes must be addressed to the Manager at the following address:

Cee’s Plaza, Suite No. 1Church FollyPO Box 86Grand Turk

Turks & Caicos Islands

TURKS HEAD YACHT CLUBc/o EPIC Corporate & Consultancy

Services Ltd.Phone: 649-946-1570

Fax: 649-946-1571Email: [email protected]

Some parents of special needs children still live in denial

Since a number of parents are opting not to allow their disabled children to officially register as such, government is unable to quantify the true number of children living with disabilities in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Noreen Williams-McCoy, Programmes Coordinator for Special Needs Department in the Turks and Caicos Islands, told The SUN that her department has been using education to break down such barrier, since a number of parents shielding their children from the help that they need is a

matter of lack of education and denial. “Officially I don’t have the numbers, and it is kind of difficult because many parents are still in denial. There are parents who want to keep their children away from the public one way or another. And so the work, as it relates to awareness and education is ongoing. We have to tell all of our stories that can make a difference,” she said. Williams-McCoy was speaking to The SUN, while attending an open day activity at the Marion Williams Special Needs Association of Providenciales (SNAP) Centre in Providenciales, last Friday (December 4, 2014). The event was to commemorate International Day of Disabilities, which was celebrated two days

earlier. “Wednesday 3rd of December was celebrated throughout the world as International Day of Disabilities. Over the years we celebrate this significant day, and it is a time set aside to highlight persons with disabilities, letting the world know that they are persons first – they have needs and aspirations as able bodied persons; they may have some challenges,” she said. She added; “This year the theme is

“sustainable development; the promise of technology”. And I think what the theme is saying to countries – although many countries are doing it already – is to make use of technology, just like all of us are making effective use of technology to enhance our daily lives. So children and persons with disabilities should not be excluded. “They, too, can be included in the use of technology for them to sustain their development. And I believe many countries are now resorting to various devices in order to get persons to live their lives to their fullest potential. And so, we want to do our best here in the Turks and Caicos.” She said that on Wednesday (December 3, 2014), SNAP Centre children visited the Oseta Jolly Primary School to fellowship with the children there. McCoy said that while there they were exposed to some level of technology. “And I am sure that some method of technology were use to keep them happy during the day, and our Special Needs Department are grateful to the Oseta Jolly Primary School, and all the other primary schools that accommodated our children over the years, allowing them to interact with able bodied children,” she said.

By Vivian Tyson

Noreen Williams-McCoy, Head of the Special Needs Department stands beside displays created by students at the SNAP Centre during the institution’s open day


LOCAL NEWS

Graceway Trading Ltd is a seeking suitably qualified applicant to fill the following positions:

Financial Accounting Manager

Job Requirements & Responsibilities:

•ACA/ACMA/ACCA/CPA professionally qualified with a minimum of 2 years post qualification experience in a financial analysis/financial reporting position.

•Responsible for managing all transactional accounting processes within the Financial Accounting team, including accounts payable, accounts receivable, weekly payroll, cashing-up and sales.

•Managing a team of four bookkeepers, ensuring that job responsibilities are being performed in a complete and timely manner as well as employee performance reviews being undertaken on a regular basis.

•Responsible for reviewing, correcting and posting all journal entries to the general ledger prepared by members of the Financial Accounting team.

•Detailed review and reconciliation of general ledger accounts on a daily basis to ensure accuracy of accounting records.

•Comprehensive knowledge of general ledger accounting and the function of financial accounting systems is essential.

•Implementing and improving accounting processes and procedures to improve team efficiency and drive profitability of the business.

•Weekly reporting of KPIs to senior management and stakeholders.•Ad-hoc finance related projects as required.•Strong written and verbal communication skills essential.•Attention to detail and flexibility to manage multiple tasks.•Knowledge of SAGE accounting software beneficial.

Finance Analyst

Job Requirement & Responsibilities:

•ACA/ACMA/CMA/CPA qualified with a minimum of 5 years post qualification experience in a financial analysis position

•Management and development of pricing system and processes•Detailed gross margin analysis to identify and correct pricing anomalies

•Support Pricing & Logistics Managers maintain the accuracy of company databases, recommend and implement controls to prevent database inaccuracies from occurring

•Review and develop freight and duty allocation methodologies to ensure accurate cost allocation to individual products.

•Extensive experience of querying databases using computer programming languages (eg SQL)

•Detailed knowledge and practical experience of accounting software (eg SAGE)•Advanced Excel skills essential including the use of pivot tables, VLookup functions and embedded logic formulas •Act as the link between Finance and IT, representing the Finance team at IT Steering Committee meetings

•Ad-hoc analysis to support operational decision making, including new product and vendor assessment

•Strong written and verbal communication skills •Attention to detail and flexibility to manage multiple tasks

Salary for these positions will commensurate with qualifications and experience

Deadline for submission of applicants is January 10th 2015

Submit to: Graceway IGA Supermarket main office complex or email: [email protected]

Please Note: Only candidates meeting above required qualifications will be contacted


My name is Danville Daniel a Belonger of the Turks and Caicos Islands presently residing in Providenciales. On December 31st 2013 I along with Nicole Gray and our daughter Jayla Daniel were involved in a vehicular car accident where Nicole sustained a severe head injury and had to be airlifted to Jamaica where she stayed in intensive care for 21 days on life support machine. I flew to Jamaica several days after where I stayed with her for a month as she fought rigorously for her life and being the strong and will minded person that she is she survived. I was informed by Doctor Webster in Jamaica who was Nicole’s main Doctor that brain injuries have the longest healing process and a lot of patience, faith and prayer are needed. He also told me that she could recover and she could have not it was all up to her and God. Never once he told me that her injuries would be permanent. I watched Nicole fight for her life in that intensive care unit daily in Jamaica where she was on a life support machine that did 90% of her breathing. She got stronger day by day until one morning while visiting her, I noticed that they were turning the machine off for two hours and turning it back on for two hours, which indicated that she was getting stronger. After time and time of doing this, the hours off the breathing machine became longer. Days after, they took her off completely and a breathing tube was placed in her throat to assist with her normal breathing. After 21 days in the Intensive Care Unit, Nicole moved to the ward on the Tony Thwaites wing, where she began immediate therapy for one hour a day. This continued until she left Jamaica. Nicole returned to Providenciales from Jamaica in February of 2014 where she was hospitalized due to a severe head injury she sustained from a vehicle accident. On her release from Jamaica it was recommended by her doctor in Jamaica that therapy remains a part of her long-term recovery. This was agreed by the Cheshire Medical Center in Providenciales. While at the Cheshire Medical Center; Nicole received several therapy treatment sessions, which, after the visits, became less until there were no therapy sessions with her at all. I then made inquires as to why her therapy had stopped and they said that her response is not at the level they need it to be to conduct therapy on a daily basis which she was getting in Jamaica on a daily basis. Week after week I would enquire about Nicole’s therapy sessions to nurse Been and never got an answer from her as to why they had stopped. After several months had passed, I noticed the behavioral change of nurse Been towards Nicole. She started giving suggestions about Nicole being transferred to the wellness center in Grand Turk, which we all know as the (The Old Block), and had already began communicating with the Social Welfare office in arranging accommodations for Nicole to be there. It was not a decision of the family, but a decision of management at the Cheshire Medical Center which they continued to force down the throat of the persons responsible for Nicole, knowing that she has no family in Grand Turk and surely won’t be getting any therapy either. I was informed by a social worker who visited Nicole at the hospital to assess her after the hospital requested accommodations for her at the wellness center, of the negative attitude that

Nurse Been displayed towards Nicole while standing over her as she laid there in bed and said that she was really disappointed by the nurse’s verbal statement and physical actions, which after she phoned me and told me about it. It was also brought to my attention from a very close inside source that it was said by management at the hospital that the hospital was not making any money from the bed Nicole was using so she needs to leave. After the continuous fighting for Nicole to stay in Providenciales, the decision was made not to send her to Grand Turk. I began getting phone calls daily from nurse Been in regards to Nicole being taken home out of the hospital. I was told to find someone to be her caretaker, whether experience or not; they just wanted her out of the hospital. Dr. Denise Braithwaite who was stationed in Grand Turk was later was transferred to Providenciales where she joined in the quest in having Nicole removed from the hospital. They also told me that I would need to get a medical bed and purchase an air mattress which cost about five thousand dollars. They even provided me with suppliers in the United States where I could have purchased the bed. Dr. Braithwaite met me in the hallway of the hospital one morning and told me that Nicole was permanently disabled and said that she will never get any better than where she is now and the best place for her would be home with her family. One evening I went to the hospital as was my daily routine ,and I was told that nurse Been wanted to see me. They informed her that I was there and we met in a office at the nurse’s station where she began to lecture me about Nicole’s condition and how I need to move on with my life because Nicole will never be the same again, etc. It began to bother me. Why would she and Dr. Braithwaite tell me something like that after all that time I was there for Nicole?After week and weeks passed and the hospital was not getting the satisfaction they desired, they applied to the office of Director of Public Prosecutions seeking advice on how have Nicole removed from the hospital in a legal way. This was brought to my attention by a defense lawyer who was contacted by a prosecutor seeking the same advice. The hospital also tried getting a power of attorney be signed by the family on behalf of Nicole, and their reason for this was to use it to take whoever is responsible for Nicole to court and forcefully remove her from the hospital. They tried and tried to get a power of attorney signed but with professional legal advise it was not done which made them more upset. With unsatisfying results in their legal quest, the hospital became less caring towards Nicole more and more each day. The Doctors stopped making visits to her room. She would go for months without any doctors seeing her and therapy had permanently stopped. There were also nurses on the ward that were not as caring towards Nicole as they should have been. There were days when I would visit and you could tell that Nicole was not cared for on that day at all. Sometimes when I’m in the room with her it would be hours before any nurse would come in to check on her. There were times I took it upon myself to tidy and feed Nicole so she could be presentable if persons came to visit her. I was told by an inside source that when the shift changes over takes place, there would be nurses refusing

and disputing the assignment of taking over the care of Nicole for their tour of duty, but thanks to several nurses there with the kind heart they would. There were always two nurses that always cared for Nicole, so one point in time I asked one of the nurses who normally is assigned to her the most, why is it that every time I come to the hospital it was always them caring for Nicole. Trust me, I was there every day; and they replied “if we don’t, then who will, no one else wants to, so we would”. On Friday 24th of October 2014, I visited Nicole along with our daughter and she just laid there in bed. She did not smile or show any emotions towards us as she would always do, so I decided to cut our visit short, thinking that she didn’t want to be bothered. Upon reaching home I received a call from one of the nurses requesting that I return immediately to the hospital which I did. I was told that as soon as I left the hospital, Nicole had a number of seizures and they don’t know why. It was also discovered that she had a very high fever. Dr. Dizon who was one of Nicole’s doctors, came and spoke with me in reference to what was going on with Nicole and began to tell me about having her placed on a life support machine and what would happen when she is placed on the machine and the decisions that would have to be made after. We all know what decision he’s was talking about. I told that doctor that he should take that out of his mind because Nicole was not going on any life support machine. I had to continuously request him to run a CAT scan on Nicole to see if there were any complications going on with her brain, which after he made the request. After getting the result from the scan, it was discovered that nothing was detected, so they began treating her for the fever. After hours of being there and everything was under control, I left the hospital to return the next day. On Saturday morning I called the hospital to see if there were any changes in Nicole’s health. The nurse told me that she still had the high fever but she did not have any more seizures. Later on that day I received a phone call from the hospital informing me that the Doctor had requested that Nicole be flown to Jamaica for further review immediately by a Neurologist. We arrived that night and Nicole was transferred to the University hospital. When we got there nurses who knew and dealt with Nicole when she was there the last time were disappointed to see how Nicole looked. One of them left the room because she wanted to cry, saying she could not believed that was Nicole. At about 2am while at the hospital, in Dr. Webster came to Nicole’s room to evaluate her. While there, he guaranteed that she would get the best treatment possible, which I was really comfortable in hearing, knowing the

treatment she had received on the last time she was there. Later that morning, she was visited by the Neurologist Dr. Gayle who ordered several tests to be conducted on Nicole. The following morning I received a phone call from Dr. Gayle informing me that Nicole has a chest infection which was the reason for the high fever and that she was putting her on antibiotics for ten days. She also told me that there was nothing unusual going on with her brain. She told me the medication they were treating Nicole with for the seizures back in Turks and Caicos Islands was out dated so she was putting her on a more updated medication. Dr. Gayle said to me that it is quite obvious that Nicole was not getting any therapy back home and she really needed it and should have been getting it, and that is a big concern for her. With recommendations from Dr. Gayle, the next day Nicole started therapy which was on a daily basis. While in Jamaica, I used that opportunity seek help in finding the best possible rehabilitation program that Nicole can get and with the assistance of Dr. Webster, Dr. Gayle and a few nurses at the hospital and the St. Josephs Hospital was highly recommended by all. I visited St. Joseph’s hospital where I met and spoke with Dr. Karan Phillips who is in charge of the rehabilitation program that they have there and became fully aware of Nicole’s situation and was looking forward towards having her there. A quote was then drafted which was emailed to Mrs. Zaneta Burton, the CEO of National Health Insurance Board, The Premier Hon. Dr. Rufus Ewing and Minister of Health Hon. Portia Stubbs-Smith, a quote from the rehabilitation center. An email from Dr. Galye was also sent to the NHIB in reference to Nicole’s future rehabilitation care with the St. Joseph’s hospital which they denied. After the ten day treatment had ended, Nicole was well and cleared from all infections and ready for discharge. I made contact with the NHIB several times trying to find out the time and date of our return being there for four weeks and only issued two hundred dollars (US$200) but could not get any confirmation, saying they were awaiting response from the Cheshire Medical Center so that our flight can be arranged.One week after Nicole’s hospital discharge and still no confirmation on our departure from Jamaica, I along with assistance from my sister, began seeking assistance from the Turks and Caicos Islands Government. It was discovered that the Cheshire Medical Center had refused acceptance of Nicole to their facilities, which NHIB knew but refused to inform me of the decision. The Turks and Caicos Islands Government then took Nicole’s care into consideration where they approved a six months rehab program for her with the St. Joseph’s hospital rehabilitation center to be funded by NHIB who earlier had refused assistance towards the program. As people of the Turks and Caicos Islands it’s time you open your eyes and see what is really going on in this country. When you have native personnel employed with the Cheshire Medical Center in Providenciales involved in making a decision to refuse admission to a native person who is overseas receiving medical treatment due to the lack of care received from them, shows that they are disrespectful towards their own and a disgrace to this country.

The mistreatment of accident patient Nicole Gray by TCIG, the hospital and NHIP

By Danville E. Daniel

Nicole Gray


LOCAL NEWS


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CARIBBEAN NEWS/WORLD NEWS AND SPORTS/BUSINESS

SECTION B

Time magazine names Ebola fighters as Person of the Year

Time magazine has named “Ebola fighters” as its Person of the Year for their “tireless acts of

courage and mercy.” “Ebola is a war, and a warning,” Time editor Nancy Gibbs writes in announcing the magazine’s choice for most influential newsmaker of 2014. “The global health system is nowhere close to strong enough to keep us safe from infectious disease, and ‘us’ means everyone, not just those in faraway places where this is one threat among many that claim lives every day. The rest of the world can sleep at night because a group of men and women are willing to stand and fight.” The Ebola outbreak struck West Africa this year, mainly in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia before spreading to Nigeria. It has claimed more than 6,000 lives, according to the World Health Organization. The United States was swept up in the outcry over Ebola when a Liberian national, Thomas Eric Duncan, became the first Ebola patient diagnosed with the disease on U.S. soil. Duncan, who contracted the disease in Liberia before traveling to the U.S., died in a Dallas hospital in October. Two nurses who treated him were infected, but recovered. The Time cover story takes an close-up look at people on the front lines of the fight against Ebola, from Tom Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control, to ambulance supervisor Foday Gallah. Frieden says there was initially friction with the World Health Organization when the CDC sent in a team to West Africa. “Essentially, people thought it was going to be controlled, and they didn’t want us there. So I had to tell WHO, ‘Let our team in, this is ridiculous,’” Frieden says. “They wanted to do it themselves. There was resentment. They didn’t want to feel like they were dependent on the CDC. We left, and then Ebola came roaring back.” Gallah, an ambulance drive, explaining his work, says, “I am going to get on that ambulance. I am going to every nook and cranny of the capital city, pick up whatsoever Ebola patient and take them to the treatment unit, and give them words of hope, of encouragement. And try to educate people about Ebola.” Kent Brantly, a doctor who contracted the deadly virus while working in Liberia, said he went to Liberia because he felt it was his vocation to spend his career as a medical missionary. “Deep in the core of my heart, I still think that’s my calling,” he says. “I don’t want to go on with life and forget this.” Kaci Hickox, a 33-year-old nurse from Maine who got caught up in the controversy about quarantining returning workers who may have been exposed to Ebola, said she witnessed in Sierra Leone the devastation that the disease causes “and have personally experienced the stigma that fear of this disease brings.” “Still, I hope that compassion and knowledge will soon overcome the fear so that we can beat Ebola,” she tells Time. “I do want to go back to West Africa, but for now, I’m taking things day by day.” Nurse Nina Pham was also infected with the virus while caring for a patient at a Dallas hospital. “I replay it over and over again in my head how I could have gotten infected,” Pham says. “I did everything that was recommended. It was just a shock when my

chief nursing officer and a CDC officer came to see me in their full protective equipment. I knew it was not good.” Time’s annual selection goes to a man, woman, couple or concept that the magazine’s editors feel had the most influence on the world during the previous 12 months. Runners-up for the Person of the Year selection were: The Ferguson, Mo., protesters, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Kurdish leader

Massoud Barzani in Iraq, and Jack Ma, the Chinese entrepreneur who founded the company Alibaba. The first Man of the Year was aviator Charles Lindbergh, who appeared on the cover of the magazine’s Jan. 2, 1928, issue. Past selections included Wallis Simpson, the duchess of Windsor, in 1937, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos in 1999, the personal computer in 1982, and

“the American fighting-man” in 1950.

LOCAL NEWSCARIBBEAN NEWSPage B-2 TURKS & CAICOS SUN DECEMBER 13TH, 2014 – DECEMBER 20TH, 2014

WORLD NEWS

Israeli parliament dissolves itself, sets election

JERUSALEM — Israeli lawmakers unanimously voted Monday to dissolve parliament, officially ending the legislature’s term two years ahead of schedule and kicking off the country’s election campaign ahead of a March 17 nationwide vote. A week after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government dramatically disintegrated, the 120-seat Knesset voted 93-0 favor of disbanding and ending one of the shortest serving parliaments in Israeli history. Early polls show Netanyahu likely returning to power. But a growing coalition of anti-Netanyahu factions threatens to depose the longtime leader. Israel’s government, which took office in early 2013, had been riven by divisions from the outset over major issues facing the country. Netanyahu’s fractious center-right Cabinet had been bickering for weeks over the budget, a housing tax break and a bill that would enshrine into law Israel’s status as a Jewish state. Netanyahu is looking to secure a fourth term as premier by increasing support for his hardline Likud Party. He hopes to secure a strong majority

for a “national bloc” that includes his traditional allies of ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman’s nationalist Yisrael Beitenu faction and the hard line Jewish Home party, which is strongly linked to the West Bank settler movement. This bloc tends to take a hard line in peace talks with the Palestinians. In the last vote, the parties earned a combined 61 out of 120 seats in parliament. The majority proved too slim for Netanyahu to rule effectively and he was forced to reach out to two centrist parties, Yesh Atid and Hatnuah, to shore up his majority. Netanyahu’s feuds with these parties led to his decision to fire their ministers and call a new election. Hatnuah leader Tzipi Livni appears to be on the brink of sealing an alliance with Isaac Herzog and his center-left Labor party. A poll published Monday showed the potential joint list surging past Likud to become the largest party in the next Knesset. But it would still likely need the support or either Lieberman or the ultra-Orthodox for Herzog to replace Netanyahu as prime minister.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Surgeon disciplined for removing wrong kidney

SANTA ANA, Calif. — A California surgeon has been disciplined for removing a prisoner’s healthy kidney and leaving the diseased one intact. The state medical board last week placed Dr. Charles Coonan Streit on probation for three years, the Orange County Register reported Tuesday (http://bit.ly/1CF8Zwq ). The board said Streit, a urologist who has had his license for 41 years, relied on memory to decide which kidney to remove because he didn’t have access to the patient’s complete medical records. The 2012 operation at Fullerton’s St. Jude Medical Center involved a 59-year-old federal inmate. The hospital was fined $100,000 by the California Department of Public Health because CT scans were left in an office on the day

of the surgery. The hospital now mandates such images be submitted before a procedure is scheduled, a spokeswoman said. The nurses and an anesthesiologist who assisted Streit in the kidney surgery told state inspectors that they repeatedly asked the patient which kidney was diseased, and he told them the wrong side. As a condition of his probation, Streit is required to enroll in a wrong-site surgery course at the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine. He is also barred from supervising physician assistants. The inmate underwent a second procedure to have the cancerous kidney removed.An attorney representing Streit didn’t reply to a message seeking comment.

Sony executive apologizes for insensitive emails about

Obama’s race

Sony Pictures Entertainment Co-Chairman Amy Pascal apologized on Thursday for “insensitive” jokes she made about President Obama in emails that were stolen by hackers who recently attacked the studio’s computer network. The emails were exchanged between Pascal and producer Scott Rudin, according to a report on the BuzzFeed website. Ahead of a breakfast event with the president, the pair joked about the type of movies that Obama might like, mentioning films with African-American themes or stars. “Should I ask him if he liked Django?” Pascal wrote, referring to slave revenge tale “Django Unchained.” She later suggests “The Butler” or

“Think Like a Man,” the report said. In a statement on Thursday, Pascal acknowledged the existence of the emails, but didn’t confirm details.

“The content of my emails to Scott were

insensitive and inappropriate but are not an accurate reflection of who I am,” Pascal said in a statement. “Although this was a private communication that was stolen, I accept full responsibility for what I wrote and apologize to everyone who was offended,” she said.Rudin also apologized, saying the emails were

“written in haste” and “meant to be in jest.” “To anybody I’ve offended, I’m profoundly and deeply sorry, and I regret and apologize for any injury they might have caused,” he said in a statement. Sony Pictures, a unit of Japan’s Sony Corp, was the target of a massive cyber attack that became public on Nov. 24 by unidentified hackers who released a trove of internal company data and emails. Sony has acknowledged that a large amount of data was stolen, but has declined to confirm specific documents.

Scott Rudin, Amy Pascal

LOCAL NEWSWORLD NEWSDECEMBER 13TH, 2014 – DECEMBER 20TH, 2014 TURKS & CAICOS SUN Page B-3

Mugabe appoints new VP

Harare - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe on Wednesday named hardliner Emmerson Mnangagwa as his vice president, putting the former justice minister in pole position to succeed the veteran leader. Mugabe announced the appointment at the headquarters of his ruling ZANU-PF party to loud applause, a move that comes just days after he sacked one-time presidential hopeful turned rival Joice Mujuru as vice president in a major purge. Nicknamed “Ngwena” (The Crocodile) because of his ruthlessness, Mnangagwa has held various senior posts in the country’s defence and internal security apparatus. “I assured the president, I want to assure the party, its leadership, that I will remain loyal, committed and uphold the correct line of the revolution,” Mnangagwa said, describing the appointment as an

“honour”. The appointment caps a mass purge of rivals by the 90-year-old Mugabe in a bid to end fierce feuding within the ruling ZANU-PF party over who will eventually succeed him. Analysts say Mugabe is increasingly concerned with making sure his family is secure after he steps down or leaves power. Mnangagwa is reputed to be one of the richest men in the country and is also renowned for his stern demeanour and tough talk. The 68-year-old played a critical role in Mugabe’s

crackdown against opposition supporters that claimed thousands of lives in the 1980s, and which became internationally known as

“Gukurahundi”. Mnangagwa also helped Mugabe hold on to power during the 2008 elections, which the opposition won in the first round, but which were boycotted in the second round because of widespread intimidation and violence. As part of his sweeping purge, Mugabe on Tuesday announced the sacking of Mujuru and eight ministers. He said the new ministers will be announced soon, while the new vice-presidents were expected to be sworn in on Friday. Rumours had swirled that Mugabe may seek to appoint his wife Grace to one of the vice presidential posts, although commentators saw the move as unlikely given her recent entry into politics. The former typist was last week appointed leader of ZANU-PF women’s league and on Wednesday she was named as one of 33 members of the party’s politburo, which mainly consists of his trusted lieutenants. The appointment of the 49-year-old first lady as the person in charge of women’s affairs at the party’s top-decision making body cements her newfound political rise. In recent months she has been used as Mugabe’s attack dog, accusing Mujuru and her supporters of plotting to overthrow the president and of involvement

in alleged dodgy business dealings.- ‘Potential fracturing’ of party - On Wednesday, Mugabe also named former diplomat Phelekezela Mphoko to the largely symbolic post of second vice president. “There are two vice-presidents. From the former ZANU we have Emmerson Mnangagwa,” Mugabe said. “We say congratulations to him.” “From the former ZAPU we have Phelekezela Mphoko,” seen as one of the few leaders of the ruling party faction who remains loyal to Mugabe. “This is not a honeymoon, this is a challenge that’s the most important thing,” Mphoko said. The ZANU-PF is an amalgam of two independence struggle parties, but Mugabe’s ZANU faction has long been dominant over the ZAPU. Others named to the politburo were Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa, Foreign Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi and Home Affairs boss Kembo Mohadi.London-based investment advisory group Interhorizon Securities said the latest developments could split the ZANU-PF. “ZANU-PF already faces a potential fracturing in 2015, as Mujuru’s allies are likely to form a new party in an attempt to retain some of their political and business clout,” said Interhorizon analyst Robert Besseling. t“However, it is not yet known how much support she would be able to drain from ZANU-PF ahead of the national election in 2018 or any by-elections held before then.”

Emmerson Mnangagwa is in pole position to be Zimbabwe’s next president after his promotion to vice president

Mauritius voters hand opposition victory Mauritius voters rejected plans to grant more powers to the president by handing an election victory to a coalition that opposed changing the constitution, electoral officials said on Thursday. The coalition of the Militant Socialist Movement (MSM) and the Parti Mauricien Social Democrate (PMSD) had secured 47 of the 62 contested seats by 6.13 p.m. (1413 GMT), while the ruling Labour Party and an ally that backed the change had just 13.With just a dozen constituencies still to declare on the Indian Ocean island, the MSM-PMSD lead was unassailable.

Labour, led by Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam, and its ally the Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM) had called for power to be apportioned between the president, now a largely ceremonial post, and the premier, who currently holds sway. “Today the population has rejected the plan of our opponents to amend the constitution,” said MSM-PMSD leader Anerood Jugnauth, now expected to become the next prime minister. “Had this materialized, it would have been a catastrophe for the country,” the 84-year-old, who has previously been both president and

premier, said after his constituency win. Ramgoolam later conceded defeat, saying the electorate had made its choice. “I wish good luck to the winning team,” he said in a televised message to the nation. The MSM-PMSD said the changes would have unsettled the Indian Ocean island nation, one of Africa’s most stable democracies since gaining independence from Britain in 1968. Labour’s coalition had maintained that the change would make the nation of 1.3 million people more democratic because power would not

be concentrated in one person. Mauritius has expanded its offshore financial center, spurring construction of tower blocks in Port Louis, in recent years. But workers in the tourism, sugar and textile industries, the other economic mainstays, say they have been left behind. “We will realize a second economic miracle where citizens will reap the fruits of developments and prosperity,” said Jugnauth, seeking to address economic concerns among voters. The electoral commission is expected to announce the final official result later on Thursday.

Maid pleads guilty to child

torture

KAMPALA, Uganda — A Ugandan nanny on Monday pleaded guilty to charges of torturing a child who was under her care in a case that shocked Ugandans and sparked debate about the role of maids in raising children in this East African country. The nanny, 22-year-old Jolly Tumuhiirwe, was convicted Monday although her lawyer voiced concern that she had not been given a fair trial. She will be sentenced on Wednesday and faces up to 15 years in jail. In a video widely circulated on social media, Tumuhiirwe is seen slapping, kicking and stomping on her employer’s child, a girl under the age of 2. The video had been recorded by a secret camera planted in the house by the child’s father, who beat the maid when he saw the footage. The maid then reported a case of assault to the police, but the man presented footage of the nanny beating up his daughter to explain his violent reaction, according to Ugandan attorney Ladislaus Rwakafuuzi, a lawyer for Tumuhiirwe. The lawyer said his client did not understand the torture charge and would not have pleaded guilty if he had been present in court. He said he was late for the court session Monday and asked for an adjournment that was not granted. “She has been convicted on her own plea of guilty. She did not understand what she was pleading to,” he said. “You cannot charge people with such serious offenses unless that they have legal representation in court.” When the video was released on social media last month, it sparked an uproar among Ugandans shocked by what appeared to be the savage beating of a toddler who had vomited food the nanny forced her to eat. Local police initially said she would be charged with attempted murder, and the police chief, Kale Kayihura, has since called for the official vetting and certification of potential nannies before they can be employed.

Ugandan maid Jolly Tumuhiirwe appears at a court in Kampala, Uganda Monday, Dec. 8, 2014. Tumuhiirwe has pleaded guilty to charges of torturing a child who was under her care

LOCAL NEWSWORLD NEWSPage B-4 TURKS & CAICOS SUN DECEMBER 13TH, 2014 – DECEMBER 20TH, 2014

Woman burns from inside out after reaction to friend’s medicine

A young mother is in intensive care after having a rare but serious reaction to a friend’s prescription antibiotics that caused her to “burn” from the inside out. Yassmeen Castanada, 19, wasn’t feeling well on Thanksgiving, so she took a pill that her friend had left over from a previous illness. Soon, Castanada’s eyes, nose and throat

began to burn, and she was rushed to the emergency room, her mother, Laura Corona, told ABC News. Her body erupted in blisters over the next few days, Corona said. She had to be sedated and placed on a ventilator. “Her face changed within four days,” Corona told ABC News. “I would wipe her face and all the skin was just

falling off.” Doctors diagnosed Castanada with Stevens-Johnson syndrome, a rare but serious drug reaction that can occur even when drugs are taken as prescribed by a doctor, said Dr. Joshua Zeichner, a dermatology professor at the Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan who was not involved in treating Castanada. “You’re not truly burned, but what happens is you have compromised the skin barrier function,” Zeichner said.Inflammation and blistering occur on the outer layer of skin as well as the lips, eyes and genitals, leaving the patient vulnerable to infection and unable to properly balance electrolytes and stay hydrated, Zeichner explained. As such, these patients are treated like burn victims. “You get very painful lesions on your skin that are basically blisters,” said Neil MacKinnon, dean of the University of Cincinnati’s Winkle College of Pharmacy. “Your whole body is in excruciating pain.” Castanada was eventually transferred to the University of California Irvine’s burn unit, where doctors said over 70 percent of her

body was damaged, Corona said. She’s undergone several surgeries over the past few weeks, but her feet are still blistering. Zeichner said he sees it most often with antibiotics, but MacKinnon said this sometimes fatal reaction is different from most reactions to antibiotics, which are usually limited to gastrointestinal symptoms. “Unfortunately, we have no way of predicting who would have this type reaction,” Zeichner said, advising that patients only take prescriptions given to them by their doctors. He said they should report any reactions following new medicines immediately to their doctors. And, if necessary, go to the emergency room. Though Castanada is expected to miss her baby’s first Christmas, Corona said she has hope her daughter will survive. Another patient with Stevens-Johnson syndrome spent two months in the same hospital and went home on Tuesday. “Heartbreaking, just unreal,” Corona told ABC’s southern California station KABC. “Just watching your daughter burn in front of you, literally burn in front of you.”

Yassmeen Castanada

The World’s Highest-Paid Musicians of 2014 Fifteen years ago Dr. Dre wondered aloud whether people had forgotten about him. If there was a question then, it has certainly dissipated throughout the next steps of a career filled with highlights—most recently the sale of Beats, the company he cofounded, to Apple AAPL

-0.58% for $3 billion. Dr. Dre took home $620 million this year before taxes, thanks largely to that deal, making him the world’s top-earning musician of 2014. More remarkably, that number also marks the largest single-year haul of any musician, ever. “It’s safe to say headphones is a good business,” said DJ Khaled, one of hip-hop’s top earners. Dr. Dre’s payday gives him the widest margin in history between the first and second spots on our top-earning musicians list—half a billion dollars separate him from the No. 2 earner, Beyoncé, who pulled in $115 million. Her most lucrative year yet comes courtesy of her Mrs. Carter Show tour, a surprise album and endorsements with the likes of Pepsi and H&M . Only one other act reached the nine-figure mark: The Eagles, who earned $100 million on the strength of their History Of The Eagles tour. Bon Jovi ranks fourth with $82 million and Bruce Springsteen rounds out the top five with $81 million; both Jersey-born rockers grossed millions per night on successful

arena tours. Those three acts also benefit from staging that’s relatively simple, and therefore cheap, compared to some big pop acts. “I think it’s just wise to be efficient,” Bon Jovi once told FORBES. “I know big bands where each of them has personal assistants on the road, each of them has a security guard. We don’t have a security guard. Take your own friggin’ bags!” Indeed, each of those three legacy acts earned twice as much as younger listmates such as Katy Perry ($40 million), Miley Cyrus ($36 million) or Lady Gaga ($33 million). Justin Bieber ($80 million) and One Direction ($75 million) are the only acts under age 30 to make the top ten; Taylor Swift finished at No. 11 ($64 million). There’s more diversity when it comes to genre than age. Hip-hop, pop and rock are represented in the top three; the top earners of other categories can be found further down. For example: Calvin Harris notched the highest single-year payday of any DJ ever evaluated by FORBES, pulling in $66 million. “The rise of dance music has been astronomical in the last three years,” he explained. “And I happened to be in the right place at the right time.” Harris finished just one spot ahead of country’s cash king, Toby Keith, who pulled in $65 million. The cowboy capitalist

collected from a diverse array of income streams including his own record label, mescal line and restaurant chain. To form this year’s list, we considered income from touring, recorded music, publishing, merchandise sales, endorsements and other ventures. Management, agent and lawyer fees were not deducted. Earnings were calculated from June 2013 to June 2014 and based on data from Pollstar, the RIAA and Nielsen, and on interviews with managers, lawyers, executives and some artists themselves. Dr. Dre didn’t sit for an interview, but some of the other artists on the list did speak to FORBES over the past year—including some who feel they could find themselves closer to the top next time around. “I feel like I’m just getting started,” said Bruno Mars, who earned $60 million last year, locking him into a three-way tie with Jay Z and Diddy for No. 12.

“I haven’t even really scratched the surface yet.”The top 10 Highest-Paid Musicians are:1. Dr. Dre: $620 million 2. Beyoncé: $115 million 3. The Eagles: $100 million 4. Bon Jovi: $82 million 5. Bruce Springsteen: $81 million 6. Justin Bieber: $80 million 7. One Direction: $75 million 8. Paul McCartney: $71 million 9. Calvin Harris: $66 million 10. Toby Keith: $65 million Dr. Dre

LOCAL NEWSCARIBBEAN NEWSDECEMBER 13TH, 2014 – DECEMBER 20TH, 2014 TURKS & CAICOS SUN Page B-5v

JOB TITLE: Human Resources Manager REPORTS TO (TITLE): CEO

Type: Permanent

Location: Digicel TCI/Digicel Play Leeward Highway Providenciales _____________________________________________________________________________________

Primary objective of the job:Partnering with the Line Managers of all departments in Digicel to: •Manage the day to day HR services provided to these departments which include Learning and Development, Performance Management, all Employee Relations activities, following the local appropriate processes and some aspects of recruitment and selection. •Provide support and HR presence in the development of the department structure, manpower planning and job profiles to ensure alignment to business objectives. •Perform in capacity of “Key partner” to Line Managers and employees in these areas to ensure that the objectives, policies, procedures that have been implemented and adopted are being consistently carried out.

Number of persons managed/supervised and their positions: •Nil

Main Duties and Responsibilities: Performance management:Working in accordance with the Digicel performance review guidelines to manage the semi-annual DPR process for all departments with key activities to include:Providing guidance and training to all reviewers (up to line managerial level) and reviewers to ensure clear understanding of the objectives of the DPR tool/process. •Ensuring semi-annual reviews are accurately completed and submitted based on deadlines set. •Ensuring all Individual Development plans and Objectives for next review period are accurately completed for each employee. •Ensuring the accurate tabulation of performance scores are submitted to payroll to facilitate timely payment of bonuses. •Ensuring the issuing of bonus letters to all employees are done on a timely basis. •Preparing and presenting analysis of DPR results to management team.Training and Development:Collaborate with CEO, Regional L&D Manager and relevant line managers to effectively manage and execute all training and development activities: •Ensuring that managers have completed 1-2-1 sessions with all employees on a monthly basis •Developing training needs analysis based on Individual Development Plans (IDPs) and identify relevant training programs to ‘match’ employees’ career development path. •Where applicable, provide career counseling guidance to individual employees. •Setting up course templates, training sessions, and managing registration roster to ensure attendants of employees to selected training courses. •Identifying training facilitators to conduct training sessions as well as facilitate the delivery of Training sessions where applicable. •Develop methodology to evaluate the effectiveness of training programs and prepare monthly reports accordingly. •Partner with Line Managers to execute succession planning activities and ensure its continuity. •Managing the company’s Induction Program. •Succession planning, developing member of the HR Team to HR Manager level.Employee Relations: Partnering with Line Managers to oversee the management of all employee relations activities as it relates to: •Resolving management and employee issues by investigating complaints/grievances, evaluating all responses and offering possible courses of action, providing advice, guidance and direction for speedy resolution. •Maintaining human resources records by coaching and directing managers/supervisors in the preparation of clear documentation of incidents and resolution of problems and the importance of building employee confidence by protecting reputations and keeping information confidential. •Assuming full responsibility for all staff communication – staff meetings, management retreats, attending all departmental staff meetings, communicate organizational changes, new HR initiatives etc. •Ensure that all senior managers communicate the results of the EOS with their respective teams ; follow up to ensure that all Senior Managers complete their assigned actions based on EOS feedback •Assisting with the formulation and updating/reviewing of all HR policies and procedures and ensuring timely communication, interpretation and consistency of policy application. •Overseeing the execution of employee relations activities associated with, termination, exit interviews, employee assistance program, employee recognition and rewards programs, employee opinion surveys, staff welfare issues (sports and social club activities, health and wellness). •Collaborating with line managers to monitor staff morale by providing counseling and staff relations services in an effort to foster and maintain a harmonious working relationship. Recruitment and Selection: In compliance with the company’s recruitment guidelines: •Partnering with HR Team and Hiring managers to ensure job profiles and manpower budget are relevant to support each department. •Participating in the interviewing and selection process.Other: •Participating in the annual budgeting process ensuring the departments achieve its Opex budgeted targets. •Providing direction and guidance for the assigned HR & Facilities team in the performance of their day-to-day duties as well as ensure the appropriate development mechanisms are in place to achieve success on the job. •Participating as resource leadership team to support policy, program and procedure development as well as legal and compliance issues and other HR projects as required. •Oversee Facilities team, ensure office operations are run smoothly by the Office Manager in order to ensure effectiveness and efficiency. •Oversee organization of office operations and procedures and ensure relationships with external suppliers are maintained to a high level. Academic qualifications and experience required for job: •B.Sc. in Management Studies or Human Resource Management •Four (4) years’ experience in Human Resource Management at Managerial LevelFunctional Skills: •Working knowledge of employment legislation and labour laws. •Advance working knowledge of MC Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio •Excellent counseling, facilitation and negotiating skills •Knowledge of manpower and budget planning. •Exceptional communication, interpersonal and people management skills •Ability to exercise considerable judgment and discretion in establishing and maintaining positive working relationships and creating harmonious environment. •Displays high level of confidentiality. •Ability to be flexible and respond to a variety of issues in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.Internal/External contacts: •All Departments within the business as well as overall cross section of employees within the company. •Recruiting and Training agencies, suppliers, business partners, group HR, prospective candidates.Key Performance Indicators: •Ensuring all HR Programs, policies, processes and practices are properly documented, current and support the achievement of company’s objectives. •Driving employee satisfaction upwards & establishing Digicel as a top employer to work for •Ensuring consistent compliance to all HR policies and practices •Operating in an objective and transparent manner, sets high work standards and establish clear direction to ensure subordinates HR targets and objectives are achieved on a timely basis. •Ensuring development and welfare of employees is timely and adequately addressed.

Only Belongers need apply – Salary Based on Experience Interested applicants should forward their resume to [email protected] Deadline for submission is 29th December 2014

LOCAL NEWSPage B-6 TURKS & CAICOS SUN DECEMBER 13TH, 2014 – DECEMBER 20TH, 2014

ENTERTAINMENT

Hundreds attend Kiwanis Christmas Tree LightingThe annual Kiwanis Club Christmas Tree Lighting and Treat took place on Sunday (December 7, 2014), down town Providenciales. Hundreds of children and their parents turned out at the event. They were treated to performances of varying kinds and

also got to see Santa, who presented them with gifts. This year telecoms and cable provider Digicel was a huge part of the event.This year they partnered with Digcel with some of the gifts. The SUN’s lens was there to capture to event.

Shining Stars students meet Santa

The Ianthe Pratt Primary School playing a Christmas Carol on their instrument

The Shining Stars Preparatory School gave a stunning performance

An Ianthe Pratt Primary School student plays the drum

The Christmas tree in all its glory

Miss Teen Turks and Caicos Malique Ferrette turns on the Christmas tree, which all triggers fireworks in the background Gordon Burton delivers the vote of thanks The Turks and Caicos Islands Brass Band in action

Eight-year-old Anneka Charles, who survived a fatal crash in which her mother lost her life, was ruled extraordinary by Digicel TCI, was presented with a bicycle for Christmas. In Photo Ava Fulford, Head of Marketing at Digicel and Delicia Elliot, Sales Representative present little Anneka with the set of wheels

LOCAL NEWSCARIBBEAN NEWSDECEMBER 13TH, 2014 – DECEMBER 20TH, 2014 TURKS & CAICOS SUN Page B-7

ENTERTAINMENT

Many took part in TCI Shines clean-up campaign

Member of Parliament for the Five Cays Hon. Sean Astwood rid a section of the community of garbage

The Annual TCI Shines Clean-up campaign took place on Saturday (December 6, 2014). A number of hotels took part in the voluntary exercise. Hon. Sean Astwood, Member of Parliament for the Five Cays community, as the Department of Disaster Management and Emergency (DDME) as was the Jericho Baptist Church took part in the civic activity. The following are photo highlights of the event.

Hartling Group volunteers appears to be happy campers, as they clean a section of the Grace Bay strip

Pastor Pedro Williams (right) and other Jericho Baptist Church volunteers take time for a photo op

A Seven Stars employee removing garbage off the Grace Bay Road strip

Volunteers from the Jericho Baptist Church shows pride as they clean a section of the Bight

The Department of Disaster Management and Emergency (DDME) team poses with several bags of garbage collected from a small section of the Five Cays community. Member of Parliament for the area Hon. Sean Astwood join (fourth from right) also took part in the cleaning up campaign

A Jericho Baptist Church Group in the Kingstown area of the Bight Grace Bay Club volunteers cleans the Leeward Highway Stan Hartling, head of the Hartling Group and members of his team were also out cleaning the Grace Bay Strip

Members of the Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort staff clear away mounds of garbage in the Kingstown area of the Bight

LOCAL NEWSDECEMBER 13TH, 2014 – DECEMBER 20TH, 2014 TURKS & CAICOS SUN Page B-9

WORLDNEWSCARIBBEAN NEWSBodies were piled up like cows and pigs in Tivoli

WITNESS John Green testified in the Tivoli Gardens Enquiry yesterday to seeing bodies piled in a truck during the May 24, 2010 operation to apprehend former area leader Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke. Green testified that he saw the

“truck filled with dead people” after police shot up his house on DC Tavares Avenue and took him and his stepson Andre outside their home. He added that at the time he saw the “whitish” truck, civilians were putting a body inside the vehicle. “You know like when you kill cows and putting them in there?” Green said in his evidence-in-chief as he sought to explain what he saw. Asked by commission lawyer Garth McBean, QC, if he could say how many bodies were in the truck, Greed said: “I couldn’t tell you how many bodies in the truck. But it come in like a scene when you kill cow or pigs and you throw them in the truck.” Prior to that, Green said several shots were fired through his window

moments after he stepped away and that the policemen who fired came to his house asking for the dead man. He said he counted about 25 bullet holes in his roof and other parts of the house.

“Why are they shooting at me? I wasn’t shooting at anybody. I’m in my window, why they shooting at me? It makes no sense,” Green said. Additionally, Green said that on five occasions, police and soldiers went to his house to take away his stepson, who was about 20 years old at the time, but decided against it after he objected.The elderly man estimated the damage to his house at $111,000 and that he had already received $15,000 from the State. When questioned by attorney Valerie Neita-Robertson, who is representing the Jamaica Constabulary Force, if residents were fighting against soldiers, he said the people of Tivoli would be suicidal to be fighting against the soldiers who are professionally trained. He said he’s never seen a gunman

in the community, neither on May 24 nor prior. According to Green, the police, who were assisted by the United States in the operation, could have captured Coke without violence as he was always in the community. “Why they have to come and kill us off like cockroach?” he asked. “It could have been easier,” Neita-Robertson shot back, “he could have turned in himself.” Under cross-examination from Linton Gordon -- who is representing the Jamaica Defence Force -- Green said that he was not under a code of silence. Gordon had asked the question about the code of silence after he denied knowledge that Coke, his father Lester Lloyd Coke (Jim Brown), Jah T, and Claudius ‘Claudie’ Massop were dons or enforcers in Tivoli Gardens or that the Shower Posse was based in the community. Before Green gave his evidence, another witness, who did not wish to be identified and testified that he lost

$12 million as a result of the operation, denied any involvement with thugs in the community. He made the denial while under cross-examination by Gordon. The witness also denied that he had been using his building as a command post for gunmen, adding that he was not relaying information about the movement of soldiers and police to gunmen in Tivoli. Asked by a lawyer for the Independent Commission of Investigations if he was affiliated with Coke in any way, he said no. He had testified earlier to knowing Coke, however. His mother also testified about the losses to the business. (The commission had asked that their names and image not be published by the media.) Willis McFarlane, the 20th witness to testify, also gave evidence of his loss, which included a plyboard and zinc house, among other things. He said he had already replaced most of what was lost.

Haiti commission seeks new consensus government

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — A commission recently appointed by Haitian President Michel Martelly is calling for his prime minister to resign so a new consensus government can be formed, according to a report obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press. The 11-member panel made up of former officials and religious leaders was appointed by Martelly on Nov. 28 to help resolve a political stalemate holding up long-delayed legislative and municipal elections. In recent days, there has been an uptick in street protests by government critics demanding a chance to vote and calling for a new political administration. After eight days of consultations, the commission delivered a report recommending that Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe step down in the next week in order to pave the way for a consensus government to be

created. It also calls for resignations before Christmas by the president of the Supreme Court and the current members of Haiti’s Provisional Electoral Council, an institution that has long been criticized for alleged bias and votes plagued by fraud allegations.Among other “appeasement measures,” the commission says several “political prisoners” allegedly arbitrarily arrested and not yet taken before a judge should be immediately released. A “truce” should also be adopted by political opponents to allow dialogue to take place with the government, it said. At a news conference, Martelly said he will make decisions about the commission’s recommendations over the next 48 hours and then address the Caribbean nation. “For me, there is no sacrifice that is too big for Haiti, for durable stability,” he said after receiving

the report from the commissioners. “I certainly can’t promise anything at this minute, but by Friday I will have a message for the nation.” There was no comment from Lamothe, who did not attend the news conference. Martelly was supposed to call elections in 2011 for a majority of Senate seats, the entire Chamber of Deputies and local offices. But he hasn’t done so and has filled numerous positions by appointment. Electoral legislation authorizing the elections that was approved in 2013 by the Chamber of Deputies has not been taken up in the Senate, where six opposition senators argue the measure is unconstitutional and unfairly favors the government. Administration officials insist the government wants to hold the elections. The terms of 10 senators expire in mid-January and Parliament will be dissolved, meaning Martelly will rule by decree.

Haiti’s President Michel Martelly, left, talks to Haiti’s Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe

Bahamas Joins Bransons Caribbean

Clean Energy Initiative The Bahamas plans to cut fuel imports by as much as 5 percent by building several small solar panel fields after signing on to billionaire Richard Branson’s Caribbean clean energy initiative. The solar fields, which will generate as much as 20 megawatts of electricity for the Bahamas’ sparsely populated Family Islands, are part of the government’s plan to move toward renewable energy under Virgin Group founder Branson’s Ten Island Challenge. “The economics make complete sense,” said Justin Locke, director of islands at Carbon War Room, the Branson-funded organization overseeing the Ten Island Challenge. “You can significantly reduce the cost of electricity generation, harness natural resources, and retrain people” to work in the industry, he added. The agreement comes as the government attempts to overhaul its energy sector to cut costs and wean itself from imported diesel fuel for electricity generation. Electricity costs an average of 37 cents per kilowatt hour in the Bahamas, more than three times the average U.S. rate, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The government is searching for a company to manage its public utility, Bahamas Electricity Corp., which has struggled with $450 million in debt that Deputy Prime Minister Philip Davis said the government plans to remove from the utility’s books, without providing details. The Bahamas government spent $726 million last year on fuel, about 22 percent of all imports, according to the country’s Department of Statistics. Locke said the country, or a private investor , would build several solar panel projects, each capable of generating 2 to 3 megawatts. The government also plans to switch street lamps to more efficient LED bulbs, install solar panels at a high school, and come up with a detailed plan to transition away from fossil fuels.


Skerrit wins third straight term as PM in Dominica

ROSEAU, Dominica – Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit won a third consecutive term in office today (Monday) as his ruling Dominica Labour Party (DLP) won its fourth consecutive five-year term in power, withstanding a strong challenge from the main opposition United Workers Party (UWP). Preliminary results show that the DLP had won 15 of the 21 seats in the general election, with the UWO, which had won a mere three seats in 2009, doubling its tally to six. Prime Minister Skerrit, who comfortably won his Vielle Case constituency, will however have to do without his Information Minister and DLP deputy leader, Ambrose George, who lost to newcomer, attorney Joshua Francis, while Health Minister Julius Timothy lost to Danny Lugay. UWP leader, Lennox Linton, who had predicted that his party would have won 15 seats in the election, easily won the Marigot constituency which he took over from former prime minister Edison James. In a radio and television address soon after it became apparent that the DLP had won the election, Prime Minister Skerrit appealed for unity in building

the country after the six-week campaign. “I accept the will and verdict of the people,” Skerrit said, after he watched his 18-3 majority in the last Parliament dwindled to 15-6. Skerrit congratulated Linton on entering the new Parliament, saying the outcome of the polls showed that the island had become a “mature democracy”. Skerrit said he wanted to thank Dominicans for conducting themselves “properly throughout the campaign and minimising the incidence of intimidation, violence and destruction which we often see taking place elsewhere.” But in an immediate response, Linton told radio listeners that the election had been won by intimidation and bribery and accused the ruling party of orchestrating such a strategy to ensure it remained in power. “So at the end of the day, the election leaves us with more questions,” Linton said, noting that despite the statesmanlike address given by Skerrit, he and his DLP had “flagrantly” disregarded the code of conduct drawn up by the religious groups to govern the conduct of the parties and politicians on the campaign. “The church must ask itself a question of relevance,” Linton said, adding “who fools who,” telling his supporters “let us keep hope alive” and promising that his party would continue with its policy of conducting campaigns that would bring forward the ills confronting the country. In his address, Skerrit said that the DLP victory had “refuted the simplistic argument that democracy is about giving parties two or three bites of the cherry and then send them home packing. “The truth is, that in any country, especially in developing countries, a party that consistently delivers on its promises and takes the country along a clear path of development can win a fourth consecutive term. Tonight we can celebrate the fact that Dominicans will continue to enjoy the rise in standard of living and quality of life as we had been doing since 2000.” Skerrit said that he was delighted that the population had studied his party’s achievements in office and that every national had benefitted from the socio-economic policies of his administration. “I am sure this is your way of showing gratitude, this is why you have decided to give us the new mandate to continue to deliver the very many realistic promises we made to you in the manifesto,” he said, adding the manifesto had been drawn up “not just to win the election but also to serve as a manual to guide our governance of Dominica during the next five years.”

Roosevelt Skerrit

Barbados clamps down on

importation of meat BRIDGETOWN, Barbados — Barbados health authorities are clamping down on the importation of meat or animal products into the country, reminding nationals that the importation of poultry and poultry products from the United Kingdom is prohibited at this time due to the Avian Influenza outbreak. They also remind nationals travelling for the holiday season that they must first obtain an import permit from the Veterinary Services Department of the Ministry of Agriculture, if they are planning to bring meat or other animal products into Barbados.

“Commercially packaged cooked chicken and chicken products are allowed from the Caribbean,” a government statement stated, noting listing what it considers to be food products of animal origin. The statement said that pastries containing meat fillings, meat rolls, rotis and pizzas as well as dairy products including ice cream, yoghurt, cheeses and eggs and egg products “must be in the original sealed commercial packaging and must not exceed 25 lb (11kg). The ministry also advised that individuals and places of entertainment planning to import items such as headdresses, masks or decorations, which contain feathers or other animal-derived products for the holiday season or for personal use, must get an import permit. “Non-food animal products include but are not limited to: loose feathers, for use in costumes and craft; products made from skins, feathers, antlers, hair, hooves, horns and bones; meat scraps and treats for pets,” the statement added.

Man acquitted of murder dies in hail of bullets HAMILTON, Bermuda — Police said a 29-year-old man, who fainted in Supreme Court last month after being cleared by a jury of murder, was killed in a hail of bullets on Sunday. They had described Prince Edness as a “self-confessed drug dealer and gang member”. Witnesses said that Edness, who was shot in the normally quiet neighbourhood in Southampton parish, appeared to have fled into the yard of a residence, where he was shot. They reported hearing between four and six shots, followed by several motorbikes leaving the area. “It sounded like six shots, a succession of pop, pop, pop, and then all these bikes drove off,”

said a woman who lived near the scene. Police said that two gunmen on a motorcycle also fired at an unarmed police officer, disabling his car, as they fled the scene of Edness’ shooting. The officer was not injured.The search continues for the two assailants. Acting Assistant Commissioner James Howard said the victim was believed to have had a verbal altercation with his killers just before the shooting. Edness was recently found not guilty of the premeditated murder in 2006 of Jason Lightbourne in a high-profile Supreme Court case in which authorities mustered an unusually intense level of security.

During that trial, Edness admitted to selling drugs but denied any gang involvement, but he had been repeatedly identified by police as a prominent member of a Hamilton gang. Edness had been the victim of gun violence before. He was injured in a shooting in August 2008 and again in August 2010. He was jailed in 2011 after being found guilty of assault. “Coming from where we have come from since May 2009 when gun violence escalated, it’s fair to say that tit-for-tat violence is a very real phenomenon. We guard against that,” said Acting Police Commissioner Paul Wright when asked if he believed the murder would set off an escalation of gun violence.

No drop in gas prices in Antigua

any time soon ST JOHN’S, Antigua – While global oil prices have fallen to a four-year low this year, Antigua’s Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance Lennox Weston said locals should not expect to save at the pump any time soon. Weston said local gas prices are not tied to price fluctuations on the global market, but are instead based on government projections. Every six months, the government examines the longevity of trends in the global oil market and uses that to predict price changes here. Long-term changes result in changes in the local market, while short-term changes have no effect on prices. “We take a long-term look at the price of gas and we’ve built in a mechanism that is based on a variable tax yield from oil that will compensate for what we deem to be fairly short term or medium term movement in the international price of oil,” he explained. Weston said while prices have remained low for the past few months, the drop will cause major growth within the American and European economies, which will increase oil demand and force prices back up within three to six months. He also noted that continuing hostility in the Middle East, and possible advancements in technology will also affect global prices. Weston said waiting and observing the trends within the market would help keep long-term prices on the local market stable. “We, in the Ministry of Finance , want to see how the forces that affect the price of oil play out over the next six months, and we want to ensure that if there’s an adjustment in the price of oil, it is a price that will be sustainable.” He also noted that the government has been absorbing the cost of rising oil prices over the past several years and now hoped to recoup those losses. Lennox noted Cabinet will also be reviewing the matter before making a final decision. Oil prices worldwide have dropped from over US $100 per barrel this summer to just below US $70 per barrel as of yesterday.


CARIBBEAN NEWS

Trinidad warns illegal immigrants

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – The Trinidad and Tobago government Monday urged illegal migrants to seek to regularise their status after the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country deported a number of African nationals over the last weekend. National Security Minister Gary Griffith warned that persons who have been found to be in the oil rich twin-island republic country illegally have already been put on notice that such law breaking would not be allowed to continue. He said that the Ministry of National Security has a mandate to secure and protect the entire nation, inclusive of all of its borders and points of entry. “In carrying out that mandate, the Ministry has taken a decision to bring to a conclusion the matter of illegal immigration into Trinidad and Tobago and all of the activities that accompany and support such illegal enterprise.” Griffith said that unfortunately, for those on the wrong side of the matter, enforcement of sovereign

law can be perceived as the infliction of suffering and hardship; but points out that in itself cannot be a reason for the authorities to not enforce sovereign law. “Neither the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the Immigration Division nor the Ministry of National Security as a whole can be blamed for the consequences of the actions of legal adults who chose an illegal path of entry into this country” Griffith said He said that the message being sent to “all and sundry is that persons should, from the very start, explore the proper and legal channels if they are desirous of becoming citizens of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago”. Griffith said to do otherwise would be to engage in breaking the laws of the country and the illegal immigrant risks detention and deportation and even the possibility of being barred from re-entering the country at any other time in the future. Griffith said that he has noted that certain activists are again

attempting to incite an emotional response to the subject matter. “While that is their right as activists, any attempt to coerce the authorities into actions that subvert the rule of law is ultimately doomed to fail as this is a country built on the rule of law. The enforcement of all laws is the only sure path to a safer and more secure Trinidad and Tobago,” Griffith added. Earler, the government defended its decision to spend TT$2.6 million (One TT dollar = US$0.16 cents) to charter a plane to deport 15 illegal Ghana nationals saying that it was difficult to get visas for them men to travel back to their country through commercial flights. The Ghanaians were deported following a marathon 12 hour court case on Saturday by lawyers to prevent their deportation. Griffith said that there were 100,000 illegal immigrants here, whom he said were draining the country’s resources. He also accused some of them of being involved in criminal activities.

PM dismisses UK call to waive death penalty CASTRIES, St. Lucia – Prime Minister Dr. Kenny Anthony has dismissed as “improper” a British Foreign Office request for him to waive the death penalty in the case of murdered British hotelier, Oliver Gobat. The Times of London newspaper has quoted Anthony as saying that he supports a request from the family of the late Gobat for British officers to support the murder hunt, but not Whitehall’s stipulation that it will only

send a squad if St Lucia guarantees that it will not use capital punishment for the killers. “No government can get into the business of bargaining as to the outcome of a case. The British government sometimes forgets that we have a sharper, cleaner idea of the separation of powers than they do in the United Kingdom and we must abide by the powers bequeathed to us,” the British newspaper quoted Anthony as saying.

“Their preoccupation with hanging is very misplaced. Their own Privy Council makes sure that the death penalty never gets carried out,” Anthony told the publication. Efforts by the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) to contact Prime Minister Anthony to ensure the accuracy of the quotes, have so far proven futile. Gobat’s body was found in his Range Rover on Cap Estate, north of here, on April 25, burnt beyond

recognition. “This particular crime was committed with considerable sophistication,” Prime Minister Anthony told the publication. Gobat’s family members, who have commissioned a private investigation into his death, are also offering a one million dollar (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents) reward for for information leading to the arrest of his killer or killers.

Trinidad spends $409,000 on charter

flight to deport migrantsThe Trinidad and Tobago government spent TTD 2.6 million ($409,000) on a charter flight to deport 15 undocumented immigrants back to Ghana, media outlets said Monday.Efe contacted the migrant detention center in the northeastern town of Aripo to enquire about the incident, but a spokesperson said only: “We are not authorized to give information to the media.”The 15 Ghanaians were ordered expelled on Saturday after a court hearing that lasted 12 hours, the Trinidad Express and Trinidad and Tobago Newsday reported Monday.Once an appellate court confirmed the decision, the government chartered a Caribbean Airlines plane to transport the group to Ghana on Sunday.Officials said they resorted to the charter because it was difficult to get visas for the men to travel back to Ghana on commercial flights, according to the Trinidad Express.National Security Minister Gary Griffith told the same newspaper that the decision was in line with the government’s policy of zero tolerance for illegal immigration.Griffith said that more than 100,000 undocumented immigrants are living in Trinidad and Tobago, a country of around 1.2 million inhabitants.Those migrants are draining the country’s resources and some of them are involved in criminal activities, the minister said.Efe confirmed with representatives from the Living Water Community organization that two of the Ghanaian immigrants had petitioned for refugee status in Trinidad and Tobago.

Pleasant Holidays adds Baha Mar to

Caribbean portfolio Pleasant Holidays’ latest additions to its portfolio of 23 Caribbean islands for 2015 and 2016 vacation offerings include properties in Dominica, Santo Domingo and Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic, as well as the Baha Mar resort in the Bahamas. Baha Mar is slated to open next spring in Nassau. “The Caribbean offers everything anyone could want in destination weddings, honeymoons, family vacations. The region has long been a strong sell for us, and next year looks to be much the same,” said Jack Richards, president and CEO. The new 68-page brochure features images and information detailing 225 hotels and resorts, 28 villa accommodations, destination weddings, group

travel, 100 all-inclusive family-friendly resorts and 40 adults-only options, travel information and vacation protection coverage. Also covered are 15 of the most popular activities in Antigua, Aruba, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Rico and St. Lucia. Pleasant Holidays’ Caribbean vacations offer air service on 15 carriers.Bookings made by Dec. 31 on packages departing from one of 29 gateways in the Midwest receive an air credit of $200 per reservation. In addition, agents receive up to 6% commission on the air portion of package vacations from all U.S. departure cities. The commission applies to all applicable fare classes excluding published retail fares.


LOCAL NEWS

DEACONESS HILDA ROBINSONDEACONESS HILDA ROBINSON

Deaconess Hilda Robinson is a dedicated servant of the Most High God, and has made herself available to be used by God from her youth. She

has affirmed that she is a living testimony that faithfulness to God results in an experience of God’s divine provision, protection and a peace that surpasses all understanding. Deaconess Hilda, Sis. Mackie or Momma as she is affectionately referred to by her children, grand children and by extension her church family, is by her nature Christ like. She is humble, caring and compassionate, loving, gentle and kindhearted. This character is evident in the way she interacts with the church and her community. She is a true servant of the Lord who serves the church with dignity and pride. She never grumbles, never complains but does whatever is required of her with her signature smile. Indeed that is what Jesus would do. It is fair to say that Sis. Mackie lives for Paradise Baptist Church and its ministries, not because she wants recognition or to be praised for what she does, but because she understands that her service to God and the people of God is what she was created for. It is her purpose. She believes she was born to serve the Lord, to edify the brethren, to lift up the fallen, to encourage and give wise counsel to the weak and weary, to minister to the sick, to feed the hungry and teach the Word of God. This woman of the Lord has made and continues to make remarkable contributions to the ministries of the Paradise Church. She has given sterling service as a Sunday School teacher and has been the Superintendent of the Sunday School for many years. This responsibility she took very seriously. Sis. Mackie, by practice, comes to church early every Sunday, rain or sunshine, to receive her students and ensure that teachers were there prepared to teach the day’s lessons. Deaconess Hilda is a long standing member of the Women’s Ministry of the church. And again, her good stewardship merited her being the president of the women’s group for a substantive period. Her involvement took her to many functions and conferences organized locally by the women’s branch of the Turks and Caicos Islands Baptist Union. These were enriching experiences where she enjoyed being ministered to. Sis. Mackie was called to be a Deacon of the church during the Pastoral oversight of Rev. Derek Hamilton. She functioned in this role and assisted Rev. Hamilton for some time, but was officially ordained as a Deacon in 2005 by Rev. Goldston Williams. This is a position she holds sacred. Deaconess Robinson is always available and willing to assist Rev. Williams in the work of the Lord. She is dedicated, committed and truly faithful. Currently, Deaconess Robinson heads the Outreach Ministry of the church and reaches out to the needy of the community of Five Cays. She has also touches the lives of the children of Five Cays with her annual Easter Egg Hunt. Deaconess Robinson is the mother of seven daughters; three sons; twenty-eight grand and great grandchildren, a number of sons-in-law and daughters-in-law. She loves her family dearly and considers them her greatest assets. Deaconess Hilda leads an exemplary life in the church and community that can be emulated by the younger women. Her legacy is Godly principles and rich values. She is a faithful woman of God. She is a woman worthy of praise. To God be the Glory.

“A woman who fears the Lord shall be praised.”

The family would like to thank Paradise Baptiste church for the excellent tribute


DEACONESS HILDA ROBINSONDEACONESS HILDA ROBINSON


CARIBBEAN NEWS

Three quarters of Cayman Islands civil service earns below $50,000 per year

The vast majority of Cayman Islands civil servants earn less than $50,000 per year, according to a government human resources report made public last month. According to the Caymanian Compass, about 76 percent of civil servants earned less than $76,000 per year, and more than 50 percent of those working in the civil service earned less than $40,000 per year, the study revealed after breaking down pay among nearly 3,600 central government workers as of June 30, 2014. Fewer than 1 percent of civil servants earned more than $100,000 per year, the large majority of whom were Caymanian, according to the report. The civil service salary report showed that fewer than 200 people working in government made less than $20,000 per year. According to the report, the lowest paid worker in the civil service made $17,394 per year during the 2013/14 budget. Some 82 percent of government workers earned between $20,000 and $60,000 per year. Anyone earning more than $60,000 per year was well above the 90th percentile in government earnings, the report showed. The highest paid civil servant, not counting the governor or Grand Court judges, made $160,020 as of June 30. “The largest group of civil servants [1,042 people] earned in the $30,000 to $39,999 salary range,” the

report noted. According to data from the Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce, the average household income on Grand Cayman based on 2010 census records was approximately $52,500 – including private sector jobs, but not including average income figures for Cayman Brac and Grand Cayman. However, the human resources report cautioned that comparing salaries between the government and private sector would not necessarily be a fair measure. “The provision of medical benefits and pension [without employee contribution] should be noted when making comparisons on overall remuneration packages for civil servants with external organizations,” the report stated. According to rates provided to the Cayman Compass as part of a recent Freedom of Information request, retired pensioner rates under Cayman Islands National Insurance Company plans range from $870 per month for non-married individuals, to $1,306 per month for non-married people with children, to $1,741 per month for married couples, and to $2,176 per month for the CINICO family plan. Similar rates for working civil servants are $416 per month for single adults, $832 per month for married couples, $832 per month also for single adults with children, and $1,242 per month for families.

Neither retired civil servants nor active government workers are required to make co-payments, so the monthly premiums are funded entirely by the government. Both civil service plans under CINICO have a $5 million maximum “lifetime limit” for healthcare coverage. There are no limits on prescription drug purchases, in-patient or outpatient care. Overseas accommodations and airfare, if the covered government worker or retiree must fly elsewhere to obtain treatment, are covered 100 percent. Who makes the money? In the upper echelon of the civil service, within the seven highest pay grades – ranging from $77,700 per year at the lowest end to $160,000 at the higher end – there are a total of 146 employees. According to the breakdown in the human resources report, 42 of those workers [about 29 percent] are non-Caymanian. The other 104 [71 percent] are Caymanian. Those numbers mirror fairly closely the overall ratio of Caymanian to non-Caymanian workers in the civil service, currently 73 percent Caymanian to 27 percent non-Caymanian. In the top three pay grades of the civil service, starting at $123,000 per year, there are five non-Caymanians and 18 Caymanians, a ratio of 78 percent Caymanian to 22 percent non-Caymanian.

Cayman says no to public access to ownership

The Cayman government, along with other affected British territories, has refused to introduce a centralised beneficial ownership register with public access. Premier Alden McLaughlin said Monday that he and Financial Services Minister Wayne Panton, with the support of other territory leaders, stood firm last week in London when on the last day of the Joint Ministerial Council the UK attempted to make the overseas territories and crown dependencies agree to introduce such a register, which would eventually be made public. “I, together with Minister Panton, remained firm when I again stated our position and I am pleased to say that so far the OTs and CDs stand united on this issue,” the premier said, as he announced that the status quo regarding the current system of collection and continued protection of information would remain. In a statement to the Legislative Assembly on Monday, reporting back to his parliamentary colleagues and the broader public, McLaughlin said the UK had been pressing its territories and dependencies to consider implementing a central registry and or a public register on beneficial ownership of legal entities. “We have completed a survey of businesses regarding this issue and a majority of the responses, as expected, indicate firmly that a central registry is unnecessary and that a public registry would spell disaster for our financial services business,” he said. “Unless such registers become the new global standard and are being used by all major players – Including the UK – then neither we nor any other OT or CD intend to go first and have our economies experimented with and potentially damaged.” Referring to his trip to London in February, when he gave a keynote address at Chatham House followed up by an interview on the BBCs Hard Talk programme, he said, “I was speaking very plainly when I said that Cayman is ahead of the UK when it comes to knowing the beneficial owners of companies.”McLaughlin added, “I was also plain speaking when I said that Cayman would not participate in any initiative such a public register of beneficial owners without this being a global standard that all would follow and indeed was actually practicing. I have repeated this at every discussion with the UK, including with former Minister Simmonds when he visited

Cayman last year. And we continued this stance during the JMC planning sessions with the UK prior to the meeting. He said that the other territories had also all examined and were in agreement with the ‘10 Principles on Beneficial Ownership’, as agreed at the recent Brisbane G20 Summit, one of which is that countries should ensure that authorities, including law enforcement and prosecutorial authorities, supervisory authorities, tax authorities and financial intelligence units, have access to adequate, accurate and current information regarding the beneficial ownership of legal persons. “We are firmly of the view that our current system has worked effectively and efficiently for a very long time and it meets the above criteria very well,” McLaughlin said. “And many of our fellow OTs and CDs feel the same way about their own regimes and, as I noted, we stand united on this issue. Hence we see no need for a central registry that would increase cost to business and the country and also create a potential single data source, which motivated and skilled individuals could hack into for gain.” He added that any mechanism that achieved the same outcome to quickly and efficiently provide law enforcement with information on beneficial ownership of entities that may be involved in criminal activity would meet the G20 principle. “Our systems do this now, as I have said, and it works well, though we intend to improve on that system to further improve efficiencies,” he said. The premier pointed out that none of the G20 countries have a public registry, not least because it was a bad idea, and he said that aside from the UK, no one is likely to implement one. “And neither will the Cayman Islands,” he told the LA. He pointed out that in the JMC communiqué the CIG and other OTs had agreed to jointly work to raise international standards to tackle money laundering, tax evasion, illicit finance and corruption. The premier said that the matter would be discussed with the UK prior to the upcoming G20 Summit. “In the interim we will discuss this again with industry stakeholders to ensure that their views have not shifted. If it has not, then we intend to again stand firm,” the premier promised.

Guyana President to announce election date in New Year

GEORGETOWN, Guyana – President Donald Ramotar on Saturday announced that general elections will be held next year and that the country’s election commission will be notified so that it could begin making the necessary preparations. Ramotar told a news conference that he would probably announce the election date in his New Year’s address or before Mashramani, an annual festival that celebrates Guyana becoming a Republic in 1970. It is usually held on February 23. “Early in the New Year, I intend to announce further steps towards the direction and regional elections in Guyana,” he said “I have considered and I have consulted and this is my resolve. We will go to elections. I have also since written to the international community alerting them to the possibility of early elections and the desire for them to field observer missions,” he added. He told reporters he was also confident of being returned to power with a “clear majority”. The last general election was held here on November 28, 2011.Ramotar, who is likely to be the ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP) choice for presidential candidate, prorogued Parliament last month after the opposition legislators who control a one-seat majority in the 65-legislative Chamber, signalled that they were not prepared to support the policies of the government. The opposition parties – A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) – have filed a motion of no confidence in the government, which they wanted debated following the annual summer recess. But Ramotar justified the decision to prorogue Parliament, saying he had earlier indicated a desire for the National Assembly, in its post-recess sittings, to deliberate and give priority to important matters relating to the development of the country. A last minute effort by the Private Sector Commission (PSC) to break the political deadlock failed after the opposition parties blanked the idea of holding any talks with the government.

President Donald Ramotar


BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGYBUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY

China officially became the world’s largest economy, ahead of the United States

China officially became the world’s largest economy, ahead of the United States, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). For the first time since 1872, the United States of America loses their position as the leading world economic power in favor of China. It’s the end of 142 years of American supremacy. According to the latest figures of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) just released on December 8th, 2014, China has come ahead the United States as the world’s largest economy. China’s GDP will indeed reach 17.600 billion in 2014 against 17.400 billion for the United States. These data are calculated using the method known as “purchasing power parity”, which is economically significant. It measures the purchasing power of different currencies in a common unit as opposed to changes in exchange rates. Now China represents 16.5% of the global economy in terms of real purchasing power, ahead of the US, 16.3%. According to IMF estimates, the gap should continue to widen in the coming years. By 2019, China would reach more than 26,800 billion of national wealth, against just 22,000 billion for the United States. The United States had become the

leading economic power in 1872 after overtaking Britain. In April 2014, the World Bank had already announced that China will overtake the United States in terms of purchasing power parity. The White House seemed caught flat-footed by the news, crowing on Wednesday about America’s relative economic strength in comparison with the rest of the world. The US has been the global leader since it overtook Britain in 1872, but has now lost its status as top dog. China – whose wealth has accelerated in recent decades amid rapid industrialization – is expected to extend its lead, with the IMF estimating its economy will be worth just under $26.98 trillion in 2019. That would be 20 per cent bigger than the U.S. economy, which is forecast to be worth $22.3 trillion by then. White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest seemed oblivious to the news as it percolated on Wednesday. Asked for his assessment of the health of the global economy in the face of Russia’s zero-sum economy and other troubles in Europe – including Germany’s search for stimulus measures to head off a recession – Earnest crowed. Those conditions, he said,

‘make the president’s policies look pretty good. They certainly make the performance of the American economy look pretty good.’ ‘The United States is showing the kind of resilience that other counties are desperate for,’ Earnest claimed. ‘And a lot of that is due in no small part to the policies that this administration put in place.’ ‘There is no doubt that the economic policies that this president put in place are the envy of the world,’ he boasted.Earnest added that the White House is ‘hoping that the economy of our allies and partners around the globe strengthens. We certainly would like to see that happen.’ He cited ‘a tremendous record of progress that we have made here in the United States ... occurring against the backdrop of a global economy that continues to struggle.’ That, Earnest told reporters, ‘is an indication of how strong the America economy is.’ President Barack Obama himself showed his confidence in a U.S.-centered manufacturing economy on October 3 during a speech in Princeton, Indiana. ‘About 10, 15 years ago, everybody said American manufacturing is going downhill, everything is moving to China or other countries,’ Obama said.

‘And the Midwest got hit a lot harder than a lot of places because we were the backbone of American manufacturing.’ ‘But because folks invested in new plants and new technologies, and there were hubs that were created between businesses and universities and community colleges so that workers could master and get trained in some of these new technologies, what we’ve now seen is manufacturing driving economic growth in a way we haven’t seen in about 20-25 years.’ Spokespersons for several U.S. senators who serve on the Finance Committee did not respond to requests for comment. Two Republican aides said on background that they wouldn’t be offering a critique. The new IMF analysis is based on a statistic called ‘purchasing power parity’ (PPP), which makes adjustments for the fact that goods are cheaper in China and other countries relative to the US. Without these cost adjustments factored in, the Chinese economy is still smaller than that of the U.S., at $10.3 trillion. But experts have described the toppling of America after nearly 150 years by China, even on the PPP measure, as a ‘symbolic’ moment for the global economy.

Brazilian executives charged in oil scandal

Brazilian prosecutors on Thursday formally charged executives from six of the country’s largest engineering firms with forming a cartel to funnel kickbacks from state-run oil firm Petrobras (PETR4.SA) to the ruling political party and its allies. They were also indicted on charges of corruption, money laundering and organized crime in a landmark case that has shaken President Dilma Rousseff’s government and may further weaken a stagnant economy.

The corruption scandal, in which billions of dollars were allegedly paid by the companies in bribes to win Petrobras contracts, threatens to paralyze infrastructure projects because implicated firms could be banned from government contract bids. Prosecutors charged 35 people, 22 of them from engineering companies OAS, Camargo Correa, UTC Engenharia, Galvao Engenharia, Mendes Junior (MEND5.SA) and Engevix. “These people stole the pride of the Brazilian people,” said Brazil’s top prosecutor Rodrigo Janot at a news conference. He vowed the investigation “will go to the very end.” The case is expected to implicate dozens of politicians and weaken Rousseff’s already fragile governing coalition as she begins a second term on Jan. 1. Prosecutors said they are seeking the return of about 1 billion reais ($377 million) from the companies involved in the bribery scheme, and executives of other engineering firms could face charges. The executives, some of whom have been held for nearly a month at the federal prison in Curitiba where the scheme was discovered, could face sentences of more than 20 years in jail. None of the companies would immediately comment.

BEYOND PETROBRAS The indictments included Paulo Roberto Costa, a former director at Petroleo Brasileiro SA, as the $52 billion oil company is formally known. Costa named many of those involved in a plea bargain deal he struck after his arrest in March. Janot called earlier this week for the replacement of Petrobras’ top management and punishment of everyone involved in a scheme. The company’s shares have lost 18 percent of their value since police raided the contractors’ offices and arrested the executives on Nov. 14. Lawyers acting in the case expect federal judge Sergio Moro, a specialist in white-collar crime in the southern state of Parana, to wrap up the case by August 2015. Rousseff was the chair of Petrobras’ board of directors from 2003 to 2010, when allegedly more than 10 billion reais ($3.9 billion) in transfers to her Workers’ Party and its allies are thought to have occurred. She has strongly denied knowledge or involvement of the scheme, and urged investigators to uncover all wrongdoing. Separately, Brazil’s comptroller general in Brasilia is investigating eight firms suspected of participating in the kickback scheme.

billions of dollars were allegedly paid by the companies in bribes to win Petrobras contracts

Honda to expand investigative air bag recall globally Honda Motor said it will expand an ‘investigative’ recall to replace potentially lethal Takata Corp air bag inflators across the globe, taking the total Takata-related recall tally of all brands to more than 19 million since 2008. Honda earlier added about 2.6 million cars in

the United States when it expanded nationwide a recall of driver-side air bag inflators that was previously limited to 11 states and territories with hot and humid climates. Honda is working out which models and how many vehicles would be covered under a similar recall in other markets,

a spokeswoman said on Tuesday. Takata’s air bag inflators have been found to rupture and shoot metal shards into the vehicle, and have been linked to five deaths. As consumer concerns grow over the safety of Takata air bags, the U.S. National

Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) last month ordered the supplier to take nationwide a recall of certain driver-side inflators that had been limited to areas of high humidity. Takata has refused, challenging NHTSA’s legal authority to order such a recall when

the cause behind the unusual deployment of its air bags is still unknown. Given Takata’s response, Honda’s U.S. unit said on Monday it would voluntarily expand its regional recall to cover a total 5.4 million vehicles across the United States. On Tuesday, Honda

said it would recall more than 134,000 cars in Japan covering six models made between 2002 and 2013 that carry Takata driver-side air bags subject to the wider recalls in the United States. Honda will begin the recall in Okinawa, an island in southern Japan, at the end of the month.

LOCAL NEWSBUSINESS & TECHNOLOGYPage B-16 TURKS & CAICOS SUN DECEMBER 13TH, 2014 – DECEMBER 20TH, 2014

Solid US retail sales point to firming

economic recovery

November’s retail advance showed the holiday shopping season was off to a strong start, and dispelled the gloom from a drop in Black Friday weekend commerce. Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, has traditionally been seen as the kickoff for holiday sales, but analysts say consumers have shifted spending through the month and are doing more shopping online. Coupled with strong job reports and signals of upcoming wage growth, the sales data could boost confidence in the durability of the recovery as the Federal Reserve debates when and how fast to raise U.S. interest rates. Retail sales excluding automobiles, gasoline, building materials and food services,

increased 0.6 percent last month after rising 0.5 percent in October, the Commerce Department reported. The so-called core retail sales correspond most closely with the consumer spending component of gross domestic product. November’s increase exceeded Wall Street’s expectations for a 0.4 percent gain. It also suggested that consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of U.S. economic activity, was accelerating in the fourth quarter after slowing in the July-September period. Core November sales were up 4.4 percent from a year earlier, the largest year-over-year increase since early 2012. Over the past 20 years, the average change in December sales is close to the

average change in November, and analysts said they expected last month’s momentum to continue. The National Retail Federation said the November result supported its expectation for an overall 4.1 percent jump in holiday season sales - confirming its conclusion that the poor Black Friday showing was a result of a shift in shopping patterns rather than a sign of weakness. Economists at Macroeconomic Advisers boosted their forecast for fourth-quarter economic growth by three-tenths of a percentage point to an annualized rate of 2.4 percent, on the “unexpected strength” in consumer spending. Initial estimates of prior months’ consumer spending were also revised upward. The gains were broad-based. Sales for clothing stores like Reed’s grew a particularly strong 1.2 percentage points over the prior month, while electronics and appliance outlets saw a sizable 0.9 percent gain. Even gasoline stations recorded a better-than-expected result, declining a less-than-anticipated 0.8 percent. Gasoline prices have dropped an average of 67 cents per gallon since the start of the year, saving consumers tens of billions of dollars at the pump. “Perhaps there was an offsetting volume effect, or gas station visitors just spent the extra money on corn nuts, beef jerky and hood ornaments,” RBS Securities economist Guy Berger said.

Sales for clothing stores like Reed’s grew a particularly strong 1.2 percentage points over the prior month, while electronics and appliance outlets saw a sizable 0.9 percent gain.

RadioShack Cuts Costs as Losses Swell RadioShack’s troubles continue to mount as it spars with lenders and its losses grow. While the electronics company doesn’t plan on going down without a fight ? detailing its latest round of cost-cutting ? its CEO said there’s no assurance it can put into place a long-term solution to stay afloat. The company reported widening losses and a decline in sales for the 11th consecutive quarter on Thursday. RadioShack, the ubiquitous seller of batteries and obscure electronic parts, has tried to find its way as online competition has grown fiercer. The Fort Worth, Texas company’s explosive growth exacerbated those problems and it has become a central issue in its fight with lenders as it tries to close hundreds of locations. RadioShack said in March that it planned to close up to 1,100 U.S. stores, trimming the total to just over 4,000. But it backed away from that aggressive plan two months later under pressure from lenders and vowed to find other ways to cut costs, including more limited store closings. That fight is ongoing. Last week, Salus Capital Partners claimed that RadioShack

had breached covenants on a $250 million term loan and asked the company to prepay some of its debt, along with other fees. RadioShack disputed the claim, calling it “wrong and self-serving.”CEO Joseph Magnacca said specifically Thursday that the company continues to face challenges from its term loan lenders, but that it has been backed by revolving credit lenders. The chain is working with those lenders to close additional stores, sticking to its goal of 1,100, but Magnacca laid out other cost-cutting plans Thursday that would buy the company time and hopefully drive growth. “For RadioShack to succeed, we need to first right size our cost structure,” he said. To that end, Magnacca said Thursday that RadioShack would boost earnings by more than $400

million annually by changing store hours and staffing, altering overtime practices and cutting the number of its field managers by 50 percent. Magnacca said RadioShack has already lowered its headcount through attrition and through other departmental realignments to save $7.3 million annually. New staffing reductions will save an additional $18 million in early January and total reductions in its work force are expected to lower corporate costs by more than 30 percent. But RadioShack doesn’t have a lot of time to turn things around. In September the company warned that it might need to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. A month later, it hired former Treasury Department adviser Harry J. Wilson to serve as chief revitalization officer. Chief Financial Officer Holly Felder Etlin said during a conference call Thursday that RadioShack is preparing for a potential rights offering early next year as part of its ongoing recapitalization. It’s also continuing to talk to a number of parties about additional sources of capital.

RadioShack store

Ecuador case against Chevron before Canadian court

TORONTO — Lawyers for a group of Ecuadoran villagers are asking Canada’s high court on Thursday to grant their clients access to Canadian courts to enforce a US$9.5-billion Ecuadorian judgment against Chevron Corp for rainforest damage. In February 2011, a judge in Ecuador issued an $18 billion judgment against Chevron in a lawsuit brought on behalf of 30,000 residents. The judgment was for environmental damage caused by Texaco during its operation of an oil consortium in the rainforest from 1972 to 1990. Chevron later bought Texaco. Ecuador’s highest court last year upheld the verdict but reduced the judgment to about $9.5 billion.Chevron argues that a 1998 agreement Texaco signed with Ecuador after a US$40 million cleanup absolves it of liability. Lawyers have fought in several countries over who’s responsible for pollution in the rain forest. They are arguing that the case should be heard in Canada because Chevron has a Canadian subsidiary. A year ago, the Ontario Court of Appeal overruled a lower court decision and concluded that Ontario is an “appropriate jurisdiction” to determine whether the Ecuadoran judgment should be enforced. Chevron is now looking for the country’s top court to overturn the appeal court. The lawyer for the Ecuadorians, Steve Donziger, has sought to have it enforced in Canada, Brazil and Argentina. They have not pursued Chevron in the United States where a New York judge ruled in favor of Chevron’s counter-suit that argued the judgment from the Ecuador courts was obtained fraudulently by corrupt means. That New York decision is now being appealed.

General Motors announces $3.6billion investment in Mexico

U.S. auto giant General Motors on Thursday announced $3.6 billion in investment to be made in Mexico through 2018, with the funds destined mainly for modernizing and expanding the firm’s manufacturing plants in the cities of Toluca, Ramos Arizpe, Silao and San Luis Potosi. At a ceremony at the Los Pinos presidential residence, the president of General Motors’ affiliate in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, Ernesto M. Hernandez, said he was confident that

“the necessary economic conditions exist for these investments to translate into the creation of up to 5,600 new jobs.” According to the GM Mexico chief, that will also create almost 40,000 additional jobs in related industries. With Enrique Peña Nieto in attendance, the GM Mexico official said that the investment package will improve the firm’s production capabilities, especially in the areas of manufacturing, motors and transmissions and vehicle assembly. In addition, it will contribute to the production in Mexico of new vehicles for the local market and for export, something that will consolidate GM as the country’s No. 1 vehicle exporter, he said. Peña Nieto, meanwhile, said that between January and November 2013, vehicle production in Mexico exceeded 3 million units, an increase of 8.7 percent over the same period last year. The president said that GM’s investment will

“put its plants in the front rank” of the industry ... and “without a doubt, these investments will contribute to pushing even more the successful automotive development our country is experiencing.” With a 79-year presence in the Mexican market, GM operates four manufacturing complexes in the country, directly creating about 15,000 jobs and indirectly creating more than 105,000 in the supply chain and related industries.


BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY

Spanish news to vanish from Google

News globally

MADRID — Google announced Thursday it will close Google News in Spain and block reports from Spanish publishers from more than 70 Google News international editions due to a new Spanish law requiring aggregators to pay to link content

— a decision that will reverberate around the globe. Google News in Spain will shut down on Dec. 16 — several weeks before a new Spanish intellectual property law takes effect Jan. 1 requiring news publishers to be paid. That means people in Latin America, where Spanish news organizations have sought to boost their audiences, won’t see news from Spain via Google News in Mexico or elsewhere. Also set to disappear are reports in English from Spanish publishers like Madrid’s leading El Pais newspaper. People who use Google’s standard search in Spain and anywhere else around the world will still be able to find articles on their own from Spanish publications, because the law applies only to aggregators and not to individuals who do their own searches outside of Google News. The decision by Google Inc.

is the first shutdown since Google News debuted as an experimental project in 2002. Richard Gingras, head of Google News, said the decision was made “with real sadness” because Google News is “a service that hundreds of millions of users love and trust, including many here in Spain.” Spain’s AEDE association, which represents large news publishers, had lobbied for the law nicknamed the “Google Tax.” It declined comment Thursday. A spokesman for El Pais said the newspaper did not plan to comment on Google’s action and the publishers of three other large Spanish newspaper groups also declined to comment or did not respond to messages. But Spain’s Culture Ministry characterized Google’s move as a legitimate business decision. The ministry also said the law doesn’t apply to individuals and will protect the intellectual property of publications that spend money to create content without hindering freedom of information. The new law did not specify how much publishers would have to be paid by Google or other aggregators, but the company said Spain’s law is much stricter than similar legislation enacted

elsewhere because it mandates payments even if publishers don’t want them because they get traffic via Google News. “This new legislation requires every Spanish publication to charge services like Google News for showing even the smallest snippet from their publications, whether they want to or not,” Gingras wrote in a blog. “As Google News itself makes no money (we do not show any advertising on the site) this new approach is simply not sustainable.” Google News has long irked newspaper publishers and other content providers, who contend the service tramples on copyrights by creating a digital kiosk of headlines and story snippets gathered from other websites. Most criticism has likened Google to a freeloader, but there have been attempts to force the company to change its ways through the courts. Google maintains it obeys all copyright laws while sending more people to websites highlighted in its News services. The company also allows publishers to prevent material from being displayed in Google News, an option few websites choose because the service is an important traffic source to sell ads.

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SeaWorld CEO to Step Down SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. said Thursday that its CEO is stepping down as head of the company and named its chairman as interim leader. Attendance at its theme parks has been weak since the recession and has dropped in three of the past four quarters. SeaWorld has also been battling negative publicity since the release of “Blackfish” last year, a documentary that suggested its treatment of animals may have led to the death of trainers. SeaWorld has been trying to combat the decline with a turnaround effort. It said

Thursday that it will eliminate an unspecified number of jobs as part of previously announced cost cuts, which are expected to save $50 million annually. The company would not say how many jobs it planned to cut. Jim Atchison has served as CEO and president since 2009. He will become vice chairman and will be nominated to the board of its independent nonprofit conservation fund. Chairman David D’Alessandro will take over as interim CEO Jan. 15 and serve until a permanent replacement is found. The company on Thursday

also appointed two new directors to its board: Ellen Tauscher, a former congresswoman from California, and former advertising executive William Gray. Gray has also been a senior adviser to Blackstone, an investment firm and minority shareholder in SeaWorld. Shares of SeaWorld, which operates 11 theme parks across the country, rose 16 cents in extended trading. Its stock closed Thursday up 45 cents to $16.09. The Orlando, Florida-based company’s shares have lost about 45 percent in the past year.

Jim Atchison has served as CEO and president of the theme park company since 2009.

Delta aims for $1.7bn fuel price boost

Delta Air Lines expects lower fuel prices to produce an annual net cost benefit of $1.7bn, the company said, in the latest sign of how falling fuel costs are boosting the fortunes of big US carriers. Delta gave the estimate at an investor day in New York at which the company also said it expected pre-tax profit of $4.5bn in 2014, up $1.9bn compared to last year. The company’s shares surged almost 5 per cent on the announcements, to $48.38. Delta has taken an unusual approach to managing fuel prices by purchasing the Trainer oil refinery next to Philadelphia airport. Delta has also persevered with significantly older — and hence more fuel-hungry — aircraft than other US airlines, betting that it can maintain the passenger jets better than competitors and therefore save on capital spending. Paul Jacobson, chief financial officer, claimed both strategies were proving successful. The refinery

— which has lost money heavily during periods after Delta bought it from ConocoPhillips in 2012

— was expected to contribute $70m to operating profit in the fourth quarter, and the company was successfully managing expenses. “I think we’re on a strong path,” Mr Jacobson said. “We’ve created a lot of value. We have a lot more value to create.” Delta and other US airlines have enjoyed sharply rebounding profitability in recent years as a series of mergers has reduced cut-throat competition, and the US economic recovery has encouraged travel. Delta said its cost per available seat mile excluding fuel expenses would rise by only 1 per cent for the last three months of 2014 compared with the fourth quarter last year. “The cost performance has been a really terrific performance over the last couple of years,” Mr Jacobson said. I think we’re on a strong path. We’ve created a lot of value. We have a lot more value to create However, Delta would increase its overall seating capacity by about 3.5 per cent in the fourth quarter compared with the same period last year. “We’re not so focused on cost discipline that we miss out on investing in the product,” Mr Jacobson said. The US airline industry still had considerable opportunities to improve its profitability given recent consolidation, he added. “We talk a lot about still being in the relative infancy of consolidation, learning to be comfortable in our own skin, learning to appreciate the economies of scale that this industry has never seen before,” Mr Jacobson said.Delta estimated that its distinctive fuel strategy should gain it an 8c to 10c per gallon advantage over competitors. It expected to pay an average $2.88 per gallon this year, against $2.97 for the wider industry.

LOCAL NEWSBUSINESS & TECHNOLOGYPage B-18 TURKS & CAICOS SUN DECEMBER 13TH, 2014 – DECEMBER 20TH, 2014

FUN & GAMES

TCI Lopital se PA NHIPTe deba a kontinye sou pwovizyon an ak pri nan swen sante nan Il Tirk yo ak Kayiko konfonn anpil kediferans ki genyen ant Asirans Sante Komisyon Konsèy Nasyonal la ( NHIB ), Plan an Asirans Sante Nasyonal ( NHIP ) ak Il Tirk yo ak Kayiko Lopital.

Isit la yo se repons a kèk kesyon souvan mande:

Ki sa ki se diferans ki genyen ant NHIB , NHIP ak TCI Lopital ?

NHIB a se antite ki ki jere ak sipèvize tout aktivite ki enplike plan asirans sante nasyonal TCI a ( NHIP a). NHIP a se pa yon òganizasyon apa; li se non an nan plan asirans lan opere pa NHIB . TCI Lopital se yon òganizasyon antyèman un- ki gen rapò. Li bay swen pasyanbenefisyè NHIP kòm founisè NHIB a pi pito.

Poukisa nou bezwen gen yo peye yon frè kopeman?

Nan UK a, se pri a fè nèt pa gouvènman nan taksasyon , men TCI a pa gen yon baz taks fò ase yo fè sa. Aranjman yo TCIG swiv sa yo ki nan yon kantite de peyi epi li se pri a kouvri pa yon melanj de kontribisyon ki baze sou revni ak yon peman ki fèt nan pwen an nan livrezon sèvis - kantite lajan an ko- peye.

Ki sa ki se wòl nan Lopital la TCI?

Lopital la TCI bay sèvis yo ke yo idantifye pa gouvènman an TCI epi ki kouvri pa NHIP a. Lopital la Lè sa a, kolekte frè kopeman sou non TCIG la.

• TCI Lopital se pa responsab pou epi pa gen okenn kontwòl sou anviwònman NHIP frè ko- peye.

• Tout NHIP frè kopeman peye nan Lopital la ap remèt li bay yon TCIG epi yo pa double klas pa lopital la.

• Tout kontribisyon chak mwa an akò avèk NHIP Òdonans nan yo dedui pa ak yo peye NHIB epi yo pa TCI Lopital.

• Lòt revni pou TCI Lopital soti nan asirans prive ak peman dirèk nan moun sa yo san yo pa nenpòt ki fòm nan kouvèti asirans.

Ki sa ki benefis swen sante mwen gen dwa a yon fwa mwen se yon manm nan NHIP a?

Benefis ki genyen swen sante disponib nan manm yo nan NHIP a yo te pibliye pa NHIB la. Kesyon Benefis yo ta dwe dirije yo sou anplwaye NHIB (enfòmasyon kòm anba a kontakte).

• TCI Lopital pa gen okenn wòl nan detèmine ki sèvis oswa benefis NHIB fè disponib nan benefisyè li yo.

Poukisa yo pa pi plis sèvis ki disponib nan lopital la?

Depi ouvèti an 2010, sèvis adisyonèl yo te prezante ak Lopital la rete anvi pote plis toujou sèvis sou -zile pi ba pri a nan voye pasyan aletranje pou tretman. Li ka sèlman fè sa avèk apwobasyon an nan TCIG a apre yon analiz plen finansye ak bon jan kalite te demontre ke sèvis nan nouvo pral pote pwi depay nan peyi a. Sèvis Nouvo prezante depi 2010 gen ladan nkoloji medikal, anch ak operasyon ranplasman jenou , plastik / operasyon kosmetik , newoloji, pwoblèm pipi , oftalmoloji, ENT ak nefroloji .

Ki moun ki pran desizyon sou tretman lòt bò dlo?

• Si anplwaye klinik Lopital la jwenn ke bezwen swen medikal yon pasyan an pa ka bay nan Lopital la, NHIB a se konseye nan ki reyalite ak NHIB a Lè sa a jere pwosesis la transfè.

• NHIB la responsab pou n ap deside ki lopital lòt bò dlo nan ki pral voye pasyan peyi. Desizyon sa pa se te fè pa TCI Lopital.

Kisa mwen ta dwe fè si mwen gen kesyon sou benefis mwen oswa enkyetid ak kat NHIP mwen an?

NHIB a gen reprezantan sèvis ekselan ki chita nan Salt Mills Plaza nan Providenciales (649 941 8861) ak nan Grand Turk sou Lopital Road ( 649 946 2611 ). Si ou gen yon pwoblèm ak kat ou , kontakte yo imedyatman. Lopital la pa apwouve NHIP pwoteksyon oswa pwoblèm NHIP katpasyan yo. NHIB te bay sèvis enskripsyon pasyan Lopital la ak lojisyèl yo ki pèmèt idantifikasyon rapid nan kalifikasyon lè se nimewo a kat NHIP antre nan sistèm sa a. Si gen pwoblèm ak kontak ou NHIB kat imedyatman pou yo ka mennen ankèt, ak reponn a ou. Tanpri evite pran fristrasyon ou soti sou anplwaye Lopital , kòm bagay sa yo yo se soti nan kontwòl yo.

Mesaj sa a te mennen l ‘bay ou pa Il Tirk yo ak Kayiko Lopital


BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGYFUN & GAMES

IMMEDIATE OPENING CookRequiRements:

•Experience with, and comfortable preparing a variety of different cuisines in a fine dining environment

•Understand the importance of consistency•Knowledge of food preparation techniques and health/safetyDuties incluDe:

•Prepare all food items according to recipe cards and correcthandling procedures.

•Maintain highest quality and appearance of all foods sent from kitchen and make sure plates are clean and appetizing.

•Maintain orderly and clean refrigerators and work areas.•Rotate all foods and correctly fill out production charts.•Must be able and willing to work all days and shiftsStarting salary $6.00 per hour not including service charge.

Financial ControllerRequiRements:

•10-12 years experience in financing/accounting in hospitality industry•At least 5 years management/supervisory experience at a property of similar size,Quality and business structure.

•At least 3 years of international multi-unit property experience.• Post secondary degree or equivalent qualification by experience•Advanced knowledge and skills in computer systems, most specifically, Excel Spreadsheet Solutions.

•Complete understanding of Executive Committee level functions.•Demonstrated understanding of interdepartmental relations and expectations in the luxury hotel market.

•Sound knowledge of both European and American Accounting Plans. •Previous and in depth experience, understanding and application of management contracts.

•Thorough understanding of H.O.A. contracts and contractual management. •Solid training in all areas of Accounting from A/P, A/R, General Ledger, Credit, Collections, Audit, Inventory control, Payroll, Budgeting, Costing, P&L preparation and analysis, etc.

•Must be able and willing to work all days and shiftsDuties incluDe:

•Managing the day to day operations of the accounting department and overseeing the staff.

•Assisting executive management, ownership and related associations with the production of financial reports, detailed analysis and business outlook.

•Directing departments in the preparation and consolidation of financial budgets and projections.

•Prepare, present and provide interpretation of operational reports as they impact the business finances.

•Developing and maintaining chart of accounts and master lists.•Actively involved in yield management and revenue enhancement.•Coordinating internal and external audits.Starting salary $60,000-$75,000 not including service charge.

Front Office ManagerRequiRements:

•Minimum 5 years’ relevant experience with at least 3 year at a management level.•Must have a Degree from School for Tourism & Hotel Management or other professional qualification.

•Manage and supervise all tasks of front office personnel to ensure guests receive prompt, cordial attention and personal recognition.

•Supervise the Front Office team to ensure optimum occupancy and average room rate for the purpose of maximizing revenue.

•Monitor Front Office, and particularly Guest Relations personnel, to ensure priority guests, repeat guests and other VIPs receive special attention and recognition.

•Promote Inter-Hotel sales and in-house facilities and monitors Front Office Marketing techniques in line with FIT marketing program.

•Assume overall responsibility for maintaining standards to ensure furnishings facilities and equipment are clean, in good repair and well maintained.

•Interpret computer reports and compile relevant statistics for front office.•Conduct comprehensive monthly departmental meetings to include a review of procedures and events which warrants special handling and detailed information.

•Communicate to Hotel Manager all pertinent information such as the expected arrival and departure of VIPs.

•Prepare efficient work and vacation schedule for Front Office Staff, taking into consideration project occupancy and forecasts and any large group movements.

•Work with the Human Resource Manager to ensure the departmental performance of staff is productive.

•Must be able and willing to work all days and shifts.Duties incluDe:

•Plan for future staffing needs and recruit in line with company guidelines.•Prepare detailed induction programs for new staff.•Analyze training needs of Front Office staff and develop training programs.•Conduct probation and formal performance appraisals.•Coach, counsel, discipline staff and provide constructive feedback to staff.•Work with the Finance and Business Manager in the preparation and management of the department’s budget.

•Adhere to OH&S policies and procedures and ensure all direct reports do the same.Starting salary $35,000.00- $40,000.00 per annum commensurate with qualification and experience.

Stewarding ManagerRequiRements:

•Prior experience managing the stewarding department of a 5 star Luxury Resort. •Must have an excellent working knowledge of the kitchens, equipment, food productions, sanitation, hygiene and safety.

•Must be able to organize and delegate large banquet functions.•Must be able and willing to work all days and shifts.Duties Include:

•Ensures the maintenance of a clean, sanitary kitchen by supervising steward personnel

•Issuing cleaning supplies to stewards, checking usage and making adjustments •Ensuring that kitchen floors and walk-ins are clean •Monitoring cafeteria and provide assistance to kitchen personnel during set-up and clean-up

•Working with the Food & Beverage Director banquet orders•Taking inventory of and ensure proper amounts china, dishes etc. are available•Ensuring the training of and proper use daily of all safety, hygiene and sanitation Starting salary $35,000 per annum not including service charge.

Chief EngineerRequiRements:

•Minimum of 7 years previous experience as Chief Engineer/Director of Engineering with experience in luxury resort

•Post secondary degree or equivalent qualification by experience•Thorough understanding of plumbing, electrical, HVAC and deep refrigeration with ability to quickly evaluate problems and decide on a plan of action

•Experienced with waste water treatment plant•Understanding of all concepts behind landscape and grounds maintenance•Experience developing and implementing effective preventive maintenance programs

•Knowledge of Opera system is also a definite plus•Must be able to work all days and shiftsDuties incluDe:

•Supervising/managing/overseeing maintenance and engineering departments as well as landscaping

•Maintaining and refining preventive maintenance program•Develop and monitor annual operating , Capex and project budgets•Serve as project manager for renovation/upgrade projects including sourcing, vendors and establishing schedules and budgetsStarting salary $50,000.00 per annum.

Spa ManagerRequiRements:

•Minimum of 5 years experience as spa manager at luxury spa of similar size and status

•Post secondary degree or equivalent qualification by experience•Strong written and verbal skills with documented responsibility for promotions sales and marketing.

•Merchandising/visual skills; experience with retail products and apparel goods.•Knowledge of current trends In luxury spa facilities and services•Must be able and willing to work all days and shiftsDuties incluDe:

•Manage the day to day operations of the Fitness Center and Spa Facilities •Maximize profitability by increasing sales of products and services and by managing effectively

•Ensure high quality of facility and services to meet international luxury and brand standards and earn global recognition and awards

•Experience developing and implementing effective preventative maintenance programs

•Demonstrated experience in development budgets and cost saving measures•Develop annual operating and Capex budgets, monitoring and adjusting as neededStarting salary $50,000 per annum not including service charge.

Pastry ChefRequiRements:

•Must have previously worked as a pastry chef for a minimum of 5 years in a luxury Resort .

•Demonstrate understanding of the technical skills for assigned area (all kitchen work stations).

•Post secondary degree or equivalent qualification by experience.•Experience with, and are comfortable preparing a variety of different pastries in a fine dining environment.

•Understand the importance of consistency.•Knowledge of food preparation techniques and health/safety requirements.•Must be able and willing to work all days and shifts.Duties incluDe:

•Assists in creating and developing dishes for the pastry department•Ensures the highest quality of product within cost constraints by participating in the preparation of baked goods, pastries, desserts, ice carvings and show pieces

•Assists in creating daily specials and signature desserts•Assist in producing the production of all pastry items, ensuring the right quantity and the highest standards of quality

•Maintenance of pastry equipment•Requisition food with necessary approvals according to policyStarting salary $5.50 an hour not including service charge.

Interested applicants should apply to Regent Palms, Human Resources Department, Monday through Friday, and bring along

an updated resume, or by emailing your resume to [email protected], no later than end of day Friday, December 26th, 2014.


LOCAL SPORTSPolice wallop Jamturk and Jaguars scratch KB Homes

The Player of the match Ira Baptiste Player of the match Jettu Ganlani

The second season of the Turks and Caicos Cricket Association’s T20 Competition sponsored by HAB Group semi-finals were played on Saturday 6th December 2014 and Sunday 7th December 2014 at The Downtown Ball Park Providenciales. On Saturday 6st December 2014, The Police team won the toss batted and finished on 171 runs for 9 wickets from their allotment of 20 overs. The lawmen had a shaky start but the ever dependable veteran Ira Baptiste stroked 49 runs, reaching the boundary five times and cleared it four times and was supported by Grantley Williams with an unbeaten 39 runs which contained three fours and one six. Bowling for Jamturk, Glen Campbell claimed 3 wickets for 45 runs from 3 overs and Ian Heath took two wickets for 22 runs from 3 overs In their run chase, Jamturk faltered, much to the annoyance and disappointment of their supporters and were routed out for a modest 119 runs in 15.5 overs.

Kevin Hinds with 30 runs and Ian Heath with 21 runs were the only batsman to offer any resistance Bowling for The Police, Vaurice Jervis bagged 3 wickets for 18 runs from 2 overs and Ira Baptiste, Jerry Grant and Hayden Spring picked up two wickets a piece. The Player of the match Ira Baptiste. Meanwhile, on Sunday 7th December 2014 Jaguars re-established themselves by scratching KB Homes who were highly favored. KB Homes called incorrectly and were skittled out for meager. Marlon Graham was the leading batsman with 24 runs and Rohan Persaud added 15 runs Bowling for Jaguars. Walter Henry claimed 2 wickets for 18 runs from 4 overs and Lowell Anderson took 2 wickets for 27 runs from 3 overs.Jaguars, in reply, knocked off the required total in 9 overs Jettu Ganlani and Audain Ewart. Scored 30 runs each Bowling for Kb Homes Marlon Graham had 1 wicket for 25 runs from 4 overs. Player of the match Jettu Ganlani

By Michael C. Pereira

Sonia Bien-Aime honoured Local football boss and executive member of world’s government football body FIFA and the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), Sonia Bien-Aime, was honoured at the Women in Sports’ first annual Gala Banquet held at the Regent Palms on Friday (December 5, 2014). The usually congenial Bien-Aime was described as a trailblazer for flying the flag of the Turks and Caicos Islands on football’s international stage and for further paving the way for young women to follow. She used the opportunity to encourage those who would listen to get on board and support sport in the Turks and Caicos, informing them that there are many benefits, including nation building. “I want to thank you most of all for selecting me as the recipient of your first award, I am honoured. The importance of this organization and what it is doing cannot be minimized or understated. It is necessary and motivational to recognize the fundamental role that sport play nation building. “Unfortunately, very few of us embrace that philosophy. It is even more significant that the women of this organization are enlightened enough to recognize. I am here to sincerely offer my gratitude to the dozens of people without whom this experience would have been possible,” Bien-Aime said. Rita Gardiner, executive member of the Women in Sports, and Head of the Commonwealth Games

Association in the TCI, was commended by Bien-Aime, who described as pioneer in the sporting fraternity. She said it was people like Gardiner, who paved the way for her, and still providing a path to young people to achieving their goal in the field of sport. Bien-Aime also thanked her family for allowing her ever so often to depart the Turks and Caicos Islands to attend Caribbean Football Union and FIFA meetings regionally and Internationally. She also recognized the executive of the local football body, thanking them for their vote of confidence in her. Gardiner told Bien-Aime that her award was long in coming, since the country was impressed with her achievements so far. Ann Chatz, Sports Journalist at ESPN, was the guest speaker at the event. She encourages her audience to always have a goal, and then go after it despite the critics and cynics. The event was attended by the who’s who of the Turks and Caicos, including Her Excellency Acting Governor Anya Williams; Minister for Finance Hon. Washington Misick; Minister for Health and Human Services Hon. Porsha Stubbs-Smith; and Opposition Leader Hon. Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson. Women in Sports is a body that supports the enhancement of women and girls in all areas of sport.

Sonia Bien-Aime president of Turks and Caicos Football Association


CARIBBEAN SPORTS

CONCACAF and Scotiabank score with wide-ranging deal

MIAMI, Florida — The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) announced on Tuesday an official partnership with Scotiabank, designating the international bank as title sponsor of the CONCACAF Champions League and official bank of the Confederation. The multi-year agreement makes Scotiabank the first official partner of CONCACAF, and covers multiple tournaments through 2018 including the region’s most important club competition -- the CONCACAF Champions League -- now to be known as the Scotiabank Champions League beginning February 2015 with the championship round of the on-going 2014-15 edition. “I am extremely proud to welcome Scotiabank to the CONCACAF football family and commemorate this strategic partnership,” said CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb. “This agreement exemplifies the growing value of CONCACAF’s properties and demonstrates the trust and confidence in our Confederation.” Headquartered in Toronto, Scotiabank is Canada’s most international bank, with a presence

in over 55 countries, including Latin America, the Caribbean and parts of Asia. The Bank offers a broad range of products and services, including personal and commercial banking, wealth management, corporate and investment banking, to over 21 million customers. The bank operates in all of CONCACAF’s sub-continental jurisdictions -- North and Central America and Caribbean. “Scotiabank is proud of our deep roots and strong commitment in the CONCACAF regions -- supporting customers, businesses and communities for over 180 years,” said John Doig, Scotiabank’s chief marketing officer. “This partnership is a natural fit for Scotiabank. Football is a passion we share with our customers and we’re excited to support current and future football stars. We are looking forward to celebrating the sportsmanship and teamwork of this beautiful game.” In addition to title sponsorship of the Champions League, Scotiabank becomes an official sponsor for the CONCACAF Gold Cup -- the Confederation’s flagship event for national teams -- for 2015 and 2017. Scotiabank will also support

multiple additional CONCACAF tournaments through 2018, including 2016 Olympic Qualifying events, and men’s and women’s tournaments at the under-20 and under-17 levels, starting with the CONCACAF Men’s Under-20 Championship Jamaica 2015, set to kick off in January.

The deal further includes sponsorship for the next two editions of the CFU Caribbean Cup and the UNCAF Central American Cup, as well as upcoming CONCACAF championships in Beach Soccer, Futsal and at the girls’ and boys’ under-15 levels. “When we extended our agreement with CONCACAF in late 2013, we focused on restructuring the sponsorship programme in line with global standards led by CONCACAF Partners,” said Aaron Davidson, President of Traffic Sports USA, the sponsorship rights agency of CONCACAF. “Scotiabank is the perfect founding CONCACAF partner thanks to their footprint across the region and their commitment to sport and the communities they serve.” The partnership was announced in an event hosted at the Mexican Stock Exchange in Mexico City on Tuesday morning, with the presence of special invited guests from the Mexican and international football community, including Mexican Football Federation President Justino Compean. Financial terms of the partnership deal were not disclosed.

Jeff webb

Catching up with Usain Bolt Ramdin urges young batsmen to step up

Usain Bolt crossed the finish line in a suit. Gold Pumas, too. The widely regarded fastest man in the world and six-time Olympic gold medalist had a track and field style set-up outside the opening of the Hublot Galerie in the Design District Saturday. Bolt, a brand ambassador for the Swiss watch company, was part of the ribbon-cutting festivities, along with Hublot CEO Ricardo Guadalupe. Thankfully, we did not have to chase after Bolt for an interview. Miami.com caught up with the Jamaican superstar before his boutique appearance. It seems like you’re not in the U.S. too often; what are your thoughts on Miami? Miami is a cool place; I’ve been here a few times. It’s one of the places that doesn’t get really cold [laughs]. For me, I like that … I have a few friends here who cuss me out and say I should come out more often. I think, in the future, when I retire, then I’ll have more time.” Since you’re associated with Hublot, have you met fellow brand ambassador Dwyane Wade? I’ve met Dwyane. I met him on the Gatorade shoots. He’s cool. I’ve seen him play in person, cool dude.

Beyond the endorsements and running times, what do you do to relax?Stay home [laughs]. I love video games

so I play Call of Duty a lot and just chill with my friends. I think I watch way too many movies. I’m an iTunes junkie, so I watch a lot of movies off iTunes.

How serious is your training? I train so much that my coach doesn’t like it when I travel back and forth. It’s not good for my muscles or something like that … all of my [ e n d o r s e m e n t ] shoots are in

Jamaica; because he doesn’t allow me to travel when I’m training. Because they’re opening the boutique, it was a must that I come here. That’s the only reason I’m actually here. Normally, my shoots are in Jamaica.What’s your plan moving forward? One more Olympics in Rio [in 2016]. This season, it’s trying to not get injured. Last season, I was injured, out for a long time, didn’t get to really compete on the

circuit. For me, I’m just trying to stay focused and injury-free, then I should

be fine.

Denesh Ramdin has reason to want to forget the last time West Indies played Tests in South Africa. He was going through a rough patch and scored only 109 runs in the three-Test series, which was sandwiched between rubbers against England and Sri Lanka where he didn’t manage much more. But Ramdin is forcing himself to remember the summer of 2007 because it was a season when West Indies enjoyed a rare success. They beat South Africa in Port Elizabeth - their only win in the country - in the series opener and were dreaming of much more. “The last time we were here we won the first Test match but then we didn’t show the fight and determination for the rest of the series,” Ramdin said. “This time we will let that motivate us and we will try and go one step further.” If Ramdin is talking literally, he is asking his men for two victories which will see them take the Sir Viv Richards trophy off South Africa and topple the World No.1s. That West Indies, who are ranked 8th with only Bangladesh and Zimbabwe below them, have allowed themselves to think that far seems admirable. That they are doing so while missing two headline batsmen in Chris Gayle and Darren Bravo appears nothing more than wishful. But Ramdin is lining his fantasy with reason. Batting big is going to be West Indies’ priority and it may be why they arrived in the country with more than two weeks to go before the first Test.

“We are trying to acclimatise to the

pitches as quickly as possible,” Ramdin said. West Indies have one three-day tour match against an Invitation XI next week but will be based up country where they can enjoy the spicy surfaces at grounds like the Wanderers and SuperSport Park as they prepare. Their focus will be on readying the top-order for resistance against Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel. “They have a very strong bowling line-up but we have to bat really long and not give them opportunities with the new ball to get the middle and lower order in,” Ramdin said. They may even ask Gayle, who is in the country playing for the Johannesburg-based Lions’ franchise in the domestic twenty-over competition, for some advice. “He always has wise words and he will be a motivating factor,” Richie Richardson, West Indies team manager said. “If he is around the hotel and he wants to meet us, we will invite him in.” Ultimately, though, it will be up to Devon Smith, Kraigg Brathwaite and Jermaine Blackwood to step up and Ramdin is confident they will. He pointed to Smith - fresh off a century for Windward Islands - and Brathwaite’s domestic form and urge them to make the most of the chance to “make a name for themselves,” in South Africa. “It’s very important that guys who are set don’t leave it up to the other players,” Ramdin said. “If you get hundred, you should score a big hundred. When you do that you keep the opposition out of the game.”


WORLD SPORTS

Tiger Woods heading toward

his second billion

His goal of 18 majors is in serious doubt, but five years after his precipitous fall from grace a rehabilitated Tiger Woods is entering the next phase of his career heading toward making another billion. Five years after driving into a fire hydrant in front of a neighbor’s house in Isleworth, an accident that set off sordid tales of extramarital affairs and an exodus of sponsors, Woods returned to the exclusive enclave with high hopes restored. Feeling fit after a break from the PGA Tour to deal with back pain, Woods, 38, swung freely at last week’s Hero World Challenge but his game was rusty. Off the course he flexed his fiscal muscles by announcing a new title sponsor for the tournament and a move of the event next year to promote his partnership in a lavish Bahamas resort. “The second billion will be there for him,” former CBS Sports president Neal Pilson, who now runs his own sports consulting firm, told Reuters in a telephone interview. In 2009, Woods became the first athlete to reach the $1 billion

mark in career earnings, according to a Forbes report issued two months before his personal life unraveled. “That’s long gone. That’s over,” Pilson said about issues that led to a loss of endorsements. “His personality, his looks, his contacts, his remaining skills and the emotional tie that people still have to Tiger is eminently marketable.”Woods, whose pursuit of Jack Nicklaus’s record 18 majors has stalled since winning his 14th in 2008, unveiled his biggest endorsement pact in five years, a four-year deal with India-based Hero MotoCorp worth up to $8 million a year. Then came word that the tournament benefiting his foundation would relocate to Albany, a resort in the Bahamas he created with British billionaire Joe Lewis, principle of the Tavistock Group. “Tiger will continue to try to mount a (golf) comeback, but both age and the deep competition will make it difficult for him to win,” sports business author Andrew Zimbalist told Reuters. “He obviously has settled down in his personal life and,

part of this, is planning for his future. Business pursuits and his foundation will play a growing role.” Woods came to know Lewis, owner of Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur, after moving in 1996 to Isleworth, developed by Tavistock. The Albany luxury resort boasts a 71-slip yacht marina, a 20,000 square foot gym and a golf course designed by partner Ernie Els. “Amazing homes, marina, amazing golf course,” Tavistock managing partner Christopher Anand told Reuters sitting in the Isleworth clubhouse. “Horses, tennis. A sportsman’s paradise, a business person’s paradise.” “It’s Joe and Tiger’s tournament going to Joe and Tiger’s place,” he added about a merging of charitable events that benefit the Tavistock foundation and Woods’s.Woods, Els and fellow golfers Adam Scott, Justin Rose, Ian Poulter, Trevor Immelman and Tim Clark are among 20 athletes who call the resort home. Pilson said this could be just a start of business expansion by Woods.

Tiger Woods

Messi and Barcelona top AP Global Football 10

LONDON -- Lionel Messi and Barcelona beat Cristiano Ronaldo and Real Madrid to top the Associated Press Global Football 10 on Tuesday. Both Messi and Ronaldo scored hat tricks at the weekend and, despite Ronaldo setting a Spanish league record with his 23rd treble, Messi takes the leading player honors after propelling Barcelona to a 5-1 victory against Espanyol. Ronaldo’s goals led Real to a 3-0 triumph against Celta Vigo, its 18th straight win in all competitions, equaling a record set by Barcelona in 2005-06. ‘’It’s really amazing what Messi and Ronaldo are doing now, with hat tricks seemingly every week,’’ Tom Timmermann of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in the United States said. Fellow voter Aurelio Capaldi of RAI Sport in Italy believes Messi edges Ronaldo because Barcelona had to come from behind to secure its win over Espanyol.‘’Espanyol took the lead in Barcelona’s derby and the 5-1 victory for Luis Enrique’s men has a lot to do with the Argentinian genius,’’ Capaldi said. ‘’Even if the score is eloquent, I’m not sure Barcelona would have won without Messi.’’ Newcastle striker Papiss Cisse is third after scoring twice as his side beat Chelsea 2-1, handing the Premier League leader its first loss this season.The result places Newcastle fourth in the team vote this week, behind Bayern Munich. ‘’I am always impressed by how solid Chelsea has been this season,’’ Ubiratan Leal of trivela.com in Brazil said. ‘’I can’t help myself but recognize the value of the first team to beat them.’’ Bundesliga leader Bayern secured a 1-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen with the decisive goal from Franck Ribery, who is seventh in this week’s player vote. Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting enters the poll in fourth, after also scoring a hat trick. His three goals came for Schalke in its 4-0 win over Stuttgart. Premier League champion Manchester City is fifth, after it took advantage of Chelsea’s slip with two wins against Sunderland and Everton in the Premier League and closed the gap between the two sides to three points. Spanish champion Atletico Madrid is one place behind after it beat Elche 2-0, and West Ham enters this week’s poll in seventh after beating Swansea 3-1 in the Premier League on Sunday. West Ham currently occupies fourth place in the Premier League, and its victory over Swansea was spearheaded by two goals from Andy Carroll, who is sixth in the player vote. The London club received three more votes than Manchester United, which won 2-1 at Southampton on Monday thanks to a double from striker Robin van Persie to continue its resurgence with a fifth straight win. Van Persie is another entrant in this week’s top 10 players, taking eighth spot. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is fifth after his double in a 2-1 comeback win against Nantes saw Paris Saint-Germain remain a point behind leader Marseille. PSG is 10th in the poll this week thanks to the victory.AP Global Football 10: Players: 1. Lionel Messi, 143 points. 2. Cristiano Ronaldo, 131. 3. Papiss Cisse, 90. 4. Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, 81. 5. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 76. 6. Andy Carroll, 54. 7. Franck Ribery, 53. 8. Robin van Persie, 47. 9. Mario Mandzukic, 37. 10. Sergio Aguero, 31. Teams: 1. Barcelona, 131. 2. Real Madrid, 123. 3. Bayern Munich, 92. 4. Newcastle, 87. 5. Manchester city, 65. 6. Atletico Madrid, 53. 7. West Ham, 45. 8. Manchester United, 42. 9. Genoa, 37. 10. Paris Saint-Germain, 33.

Rent-a-player reaches new heights Beneath the mind-spinning winter meetings frenzy of the past couple of days is the continuing evolution of the baseball marketplace. Maybe it seemed like new Dodgers general manager Andrew Friedman was on a hotel balcony in the middle of the night flipping baseball cards and large-denomination

currency to whoever was interested. But that’s not how one of the most calculating executives in the game works. The Marlins are on the offensive like it’s – oh, just pick your build-up year in the franchise’s add-and-subtract history.Are the Detroit Tigers beefing up or tearing down? Like the Boston Red Sox, they’re trying

to do both – and with a very specific purpose. Dig deeper into the names being moved and there’s an intriguing trend: Rick Porcello and Yoenis Cespedes, traded for each other by the Tigers and Red Sox. Miami adds pitchers Mat Latos and Dan Haren. Boston tries to

rebuild pitching depth with Porcello, Justin Masterson and Wade Miley. The Dodgers reconstruct their infield with Jimmy Rollins and Howie Kendrick. One thing all those players have in common: None of their new teams have one dollar of commitment to them past the 2015 season. It’s rent-a-player re-defined.


WORLD SPORTS

Pele leaves hospital, says illness was a ‘scare’

SAO PAULO — After going through a “scare” and spending time in intensive care because of a urinary tract infection, Brazilian soccer great Pele left the hospital Tuesday after a two-week stay. Doctors said the 74-year-old Pele will continue his recovery process at home and will need to rest for about a week. He will also need to undergo physiotherapy to recover some of the muscle mass that he lost during the time he spent in the hospital.

“It was really a scare,” Pele said in a news conference broadcast live on Brazilian television. “What happened was a surprise to me. I was worried, of course, but I never had any fears about dying.” The three-time World Cup champion said he is doing fine and joked that he will be ready to play for Brazil as one of the three over-23 players at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

“Thanks to God everything is fine now. I have recovered,” Pele said. “I’m already preparing for the Olympics.” Pele spent several days in an intensive care unit while undergoing hemodialysis to help support his only kidney. Doctors said Pele, who had one kidney removed when he was still a player, had to be more closely monitored because of how his body reacted to the infection, but his life was never in danger. Doctors denied that Pele was transferred to an intensive care unit because of signs of a generalized infection. They said the extra care was needed because there was excessive inflammation in his body caused by the infection, which is not uncommon, but he always responded well to the antibiotic treatment. The infection stemmed from a Nov. 13 surgery to remove kidney stones which were diagnosed after

Pele had to cancel an event at his museum in the coastal city of Santos because of abdominal pain. The surgery was deemed successful and he was released from the hospital just a few days after the procedure, but he had to be readmitted after a new medical evaluation showed signs of the infection. Pele’s condition was closely monitored in Brazil and the rest of the world since the hospital in Sao Paulo said last month that Pele became unstable and was transferred to an intensive care unit. The former player’s staff all along downplayed the seriousness of the illness, however, and Pele even used his Twitter account to say that he was doing well. Last week, Pele recorded a video message from his hospital room to thank his fans around the world for praying for him during his illness. “I was moved with all the messages that I received from all over the world,” he said Tuesday. “I didn’t know so many people were paying attention to my situation.” Pele said he spent most of his time in the hospital watching local football and writing songs, including

“one that will remain a secret for the Olympics.” Pele, who recorded a few songs many years ago, had a guitar with him in his hospital room. Pele said that although he wasn’t overly concerned while in the hospital, the illness made him start reflecting a bit more about life. “During a career of 30 years and while traveling all around the world, I had never gone through something like this before,” he said. Widely regarded as the greatest footballer of all time, Pele is a national hero in Brazil and remains a worldwide ambassador to the game. He is also active with his many businesses and still participates in many advertising campaigns.

Brazilian soccer great Pele gestures during a news conference at the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2014. The 74-year-old Pele was discharged from the hospital on Tuesday, two weeks after being admitted to treat a urinary tract infection.

Sampras rules out immediate American resurgence

NEW DELHI - The sorry state of American men’s tennis will continue for some time with no real talent on the horizon, said Pete Sampras who dominated the game in the 1990s with fellow American Andre Agassi. No American has won a men’s grand slam singles title since Andy Roddick triumphed at the 2003 U.S. Open and only five of them feature in the top 100 with John Isner highest at 19th. “Unfortunately it looks on the slim side,” Sampras told reporters in New Delhi on Monday. “I don’t see anyone, I don’t really know anyone that even people are talking about to break through even into the top 10. “We’re not into the 90s anymore. It will be quite a while to see American tennis back to where it was,” said the 14-times major winner who is in India to take part in the International Premier Tennis League (IPTL). “I think the game has got so international, so global that a lot of

kids are playing tennis all around the world. So it makes it tougher for the Americans. “Maybe the world is more hungry and for whatever reasons, we are not producing juniors, young pros with potential. It’s just a phase and hopefully doesn’t last that long.” Two of his former rivals, Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg, coach Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer respectively but Sampras said coaching, or Davis Cup captaincy, did not interest him. “Boris and Stefan, they are a little bit older, have kids a little bit older, they are open to travel. I am not into traveling at the moment, at least more than a couple of weeks a year,” he said.

“The captaincy is not something I am really interested in either. “I am not ruling out captaincy or coaching in the future but for the time being, for the next couple of years I’m happy just playing some exhibition every now and again and staying home,” added the 43-year-old.

Pete Sampras

Carmelo Anthony threatens to beat Tim Hardaway

The Knicks have gotten off to their worst start in franchise history, and things aren’t expected to improve anytime soon. Phil Jackson recently said there’s been “some resistance to discipline, order and culture change,” but the problems evidently go much deeper than that. A new head coach trying to install a complicated new offense around players who don’t fit the system has contributed plenty to the disastrous 4-19 start — one which now reportedly has players in-fighting with the team’s biggest star behind closed doors.From Chris Broussard of ESPN.com: Anthony, according to sources, then used another expletive in telling Hardaway he was going to beat him up when they got into the locker room after the game. … “Nobody’s taken a swing at anybody, but there’s a lot of arguing and cursing each other out after games,” one source said. … Several Knicks, in addition to Hardaway, are at odds with Anthony and believe he’s not playing team basketball. Sources said players voiced

their displeasure with Anthony this past weekend, telling him he shoots too much, doesn’t move or pass the ball, and only plays defense when he feels like it. … “Guys are definitely frustrated,” one source said. “But some of it’s just basketball stuff that the players don’t like doing. When somebody’s demanding that you make a hard cut, you don’t like it because you have to work harder. When someone says it’s not okay to throw a bull—- pass, guys don’t like it.” Despite the unnamed sources, all of this is believable, at least to a certain extent. And there’s even more in there, with reports that players want to completely ditch the Triangle Offense. Even if it’s all true, though, and a percentage of the team’s players aren’t happy playing alongside Anthony, the reality is that he’s the only one who’s guaranteed to be there beyond this season. Anthony is unquestionably the franchise cornerstone, after the team inked him to a five-year contract extension worth $124 million last summer.

(Left) Tim Hardaway (Right) carmelo Anthony


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