POLICE ISSUE WARNING AFTER ARMED ROBBERY FOILED AT BANK
DETECTIVES are hunting three men following an attempted armed robbery in Provo last night.
A customer withdrew cash from the ATM at the Royal Bank of Canada in Leeward Highway, just after 9.30pm.
When he came outside the bank foyer, he heard someone shout to him in Creole ‘hey man come here’.
He looked over and saw three dark skinned men standing in the bushes by the car park. The one who shouted was dressed in a red shirt, black jeans and was wearing a hat.
The other two were dressed in all black with masks over their faces. They all appeared to be holding weapons, possibly cutlasses.
The terrified customer ran to his car and drove away from the area at speed.
Police are now investigating the incident and are appealing for witnesses.
Head of RTCI Police CID, Insp Grantley Williams, said: “This was obviously a very frightening ordeal for the victim and I’d urge anyone with information to contact us right away.
“It is unclear as to where the three men went afterwards but we would like to hear from anyone who may have seen these men acting suspiciously in the vacinity of the Royal Canada Bank last night.”
Meanwhile Insp Williams issued a warning to anyone using bank ATMs at night.
“Our advice to people is always be aware of your surroundings and, if at all possible, do not go to ATMs on your own”, he added. “This is particularly so at night time but the same advice applies at all times of the day.
“When you use a machine, make sure nobody is watching you and always be sure to conceal your PIN at all times. As soon as you have completed your transaction, ensure that you put your money and card in a safe place and return to your vehicle straight away.
“My other main tip would be to use less isolated ATM locations at night. Places like the supermarkets where there are lots of people and security patrols on duty.”
Anyone with information is urged to contact 911 or Crimestoppers on 1-800-8477. Tips can also be left in English, French or Spanish at www.crimestoppers.tc or by becoming a friend of Crimestoppers TCI on Facebook.
Crime prevention tips can be found at www.tcipoice.tc
CFO’s response to the Consultative Forum’s statement
Hugh McGarel-Groves, CFO, TCI Government said in reply to Lillian Missick: "I very much welcome the contribution of the consultative forum to this discussion of the role of the Advisory Council and Consultative Forum in signing off the next TCIG budget.
“TCIG is currently engaged in a process with the Permanent Secretaries and their teams to map out their budgetary requirements for next year, taking into account the effect of the ongoing reforms of the civil service, for example. This will shortly lead to a draft budget that requires the approval of UK Ministers, the Advisory Council and Consultative Forum.
“UK Ministers have requested an involvement in the earlier framework setting stage of the budget process, where total levels of revenue and expenditure will be set, leading to determination of net surplus available to fund the capital programme and the proposed fund for loan repayment.
“They will not be directly involved in the subsequent review and finalisation of detailed revenue and expenditure components, which is rightly the crucial role of the Advisory Council and Consultative Forum during the middle part of May. Given the challenges faced by TCI, and the importance of this budget, it is clearly wrong to describe this vital national contribution as ‘nothing more than a rubber stamp’.”
STATEMENT TO THE CONSULTATIVE FORUM – MARCH 27, 2012
I would like to begin today's session with a clarification on the timetable by which the Turks and Caicos Islands budget for financial year 2012/13 will be consulted upon and agreed.
The governor's office published this timetable on Thursday. However, it has incited considerable outrage because it calls for the draft budget to be signed off by UK ministers on 19 April before being submitted to the Consultative Forum on 7 May.
The general impression is that this proves that the UK intends to use the Forum as nothing more than a rubber stamp. This impression is understandable of course. But it is mistaken. Because a plain reading of this timetable clearly shows that even though the budget will be submitted on 7 May, the Forum will have until 21 May to approve it. That gives this body a full two weeks to engage in a line-item review and debate of this budget.
I have no doubt, especially given the controversy surrounding last year's timetable, that members will be very keen to voice any disagreement they have with any of its provisions. And I am equally certain that all disagreements will be duly reconciled - notwithstanding prior approval by UK ministers.
In any event, I made a point of securing written assurances from the CEO/Acting Governor that the Forum will have the more substantive role I've outlined here and will not be used as a mere rubber stamp as some inferred from the governor's timetable.
Of course, only time will tell. But I want to assure the public that this body will do all within its power to ensure that our budget promotes our sustainable economic development. Even if this means boycotting the budget approval process to prevent the British from making us indentured servants to debt payments in perpetuity.
Ms. Lillian Misick
Chair Consultative Forum
New York puts Tebow center stage in media firestorm
The most famous backup quarterback in NFL history stepped onto the artificial turf of the New York Jets practice facility at 12:06 p.m. on Monday afternoon. He smiled as he walked past the yard markers on the field, the click-click-click of cameras marking his every step. Tim Tebow then stepped up to the podium to address the congregation, and what he saw was a three-deep row of 36 cameras in front of him. "How's it going?" Tebow said. "Good to see all y'all. Lot of people here."
Lot of people, indeed. More than 200 media members headed to northern New Jersey for Tebow's introductory news conference, an alphabet soup of organizations from ESPN to Fox to the New York Times. The quarterback answered 30 questions over 33 minutes, smiling politely at each inquisitor upon answering. When asked why a backup quarterback was holding a press conference, Tebow did a very smart thing: He blamed management: "The reason we are doing this today is because I have bosses, too," Tebow said. "They wanted me to stand up and talk to all y'all. So I could blame it on them because they made me do it."
It was the beginning of what promises to be a memorable ride for Tebow and the New York sports media, given he is unlike any second-string athlete in the history of New York professional sports. He now ranks in the Top 10 in the endorsement category of all celebrities, according to The Marketing Arm's Davie-Brown Index (DBI), which measures nearly 3,000 celebrities, including current and retired sports figures. Each celebrity is evaluated by respondents and given a weighted average score across eight attributes -- appeal, aspiration, awareness, endorsement, influence, breakthrough, trendsetter and trust.
SI.com asked The Marketing Arm to provide updated statistics as of last week, and Tebow's numbers continue to soar.
The quarterback sits at No. 4 among all celebrities in DBI's Endorsement scale, trailing only Oprah Winfrey, Adele and Kate Middleton. (Will Smith, Bill Gates, Hank Aaron, Tom Hanks and Jack Nicklaus follow Tebow in the Top 10 of Endorsement). He has also soared into the Top 10 in the Influence category -- up from No. 40 in December -- which places him alongside Adele, Justin Bieber, Johnny Depp and Brad Pitt. Regarding the Trendsetter attribute, Tebow has risen to No. 6, which is on par with Katy Perry, Anne Hathaway, Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake and Will Smith. His No. 13 ranking in Trust puts him in the same neighborhood as Warren Buffett, the late John Wooden, Bill Cosby, Jerry Rice and Dr. Oz.
The Marketing Arm says Tebow is now known by more than 75 percent of all U.S. consumers. According to Nielsen and E-Poll's N-Score ranking, which measures factors including name and image awareness and appeal, as well as attributes such as sincerity, approachability, experience and influence, Tebow has a score of 180. Jets starting quarterback Mark Sanchez has a score of just 12.
What will impact Tebow's scores on the DBI going forward is how much he plays this season. "The guy is not as exciting and influential if he's on the sideline with a clipboard or playing 10 plays a game," said Matt Delzell, a group account director from The Marketing Arm.
But that's not the case for the hypercompetitive New York media market, which has treated Tebow's arrival with lustful brio and plenty of column inches. Since he arrived from Denver last Wednesday, Tebow has appeared on the front of the New York Post three of the past five days, including a "GOD HIM" headline on the day he arrived. (The Post ran 24 stories on Tebow between Wednesday and Sunday.) The New York Daily News has also featured Tebow on the front three of the past five days, including a story centered around the quarterback attending the Broadway play Wicked on Sunday ("TIM GETS WICKED"). The News ran 28 stories on Tebow between Wednesday and Sunday.
In addition to tabloids and America's most well-known national paper, The New York Times, New York City is home to a pair of 24-hour sports talk stations, including long-time powerhouse WFAN-AM, multiple local television stations and all the broadcast networks. Worth noting is that the Bristol, Conn., home of ESPN, whose obsession with Tebow is similar to the one Jennifer Jason Leigh had for Bridget Fonda in Single White Female, sits just 107 miles north of Manhattan.
"He transcends the sports landscape and that's why you are seeing stories on the front of the paper," says Teri Thompson, the managing editor for sports at the New York Daily News. "And he creates immediately a quarterback controversy, which of course is a Godsend to the tabloids of New York. Once training camp begins, it will be like that Allstate commercial -- mayhem. And then once the season starts, Lord only knows what will happen, and no pun intended."
"He's going to sell papers because he's a guy that sparks great interest from the public," said New York Post night sports editor Pat Hannigan, who has worked at the paper since 1978 and is well-known within newspaper circles for providing some of the paper's most famous back page headlines. "As for writing headlines, with a guy like Tebow there are a lot of things to play off. You can almost go to the Bible. On Friday we had REX'S NEW COMMANDMENT: LOVE THY BACKUP because Rex [Ryan] was raving about the guy."
Source: sportsillustrated
No room for complacency - Sammy
Darren Sammy said it was important for his side to quickly switch from the 50 overs to Twenty20 mode, as they prepare for the first Digicel Twenty20 International against Australia on Tuesday at the Beausejour Cricket Ground.
The West Indies captain said winning the two matches was a major goal, but the focus is also on building a team unit for the International Cricket Council's World T20 Championship in September in Sri Lanka.
"We just completed one of the best ODI series seen in the Caribbean for a while," he said.
"The matches were action-packed and gripping. Now we have to refocus and switch gears slightly. It is important we start well.
"These matches will give us a gauge as to where we are. The belief is there. It was clear during the last two weeks. We are getting stronger. We have good batting with guys in the middle and lower order who can clear the boundaries. We also have a good bowling attack, and as a team, we have bought into what is required."
The West Indies selectors have assembled a balanced team for the opening encounter, which is expected to be played in front of another capacity crowd of over 13,000 fans.
West Indies have called up batting all-rounders Dwayne Smith and Nkrumah Bonner, who can both bat at the top of the order; left-arm medium-fast bowler Krishmar Santokie; strike fast bowler Fidel Edwards; and left-arm spinner Garey Mathurin, who stunned England on his T20I debut last September at the Oval in London.
--GROS-ISLET, St Lucia
England rally as Graeme Swann checks Sri Lanka in first Test
Sri Lanka closed 209 runs ahead of England at 84-5 after an eventful second day of the first Test in Galle which saw 17 wickets fall.
They took their overnight 289-8 to 318, with Mahela Jayawardene last out for 180, as James Anderson claimed 5-72.
England then subsided against left-arm spinner Rangana Herath, who took 6-74, and were all out for 193. Only Ian Bell, with a classy 52, passed 30.
Graeme Swann, wicketless in the first-innings, revived fortunes with 4-28.
Quite how England have even a glimmer of hope in this match is difficult to fathom following another inept batting display, which was horribly reminiscent of their deficiencies in the 3-0 whitewash against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates earlier this year.
Mystical spin from Saeed Ajmal's box of tricks was a large factor in their downfall then, but to be perplexed by the round-arm of Herath, who relied almost entirely on mere changes of pace, will be particularly concerning to the England hierarchy.
The momentum created by Jayawardene's brilliance and England's profligacy in the field in the final session on day one continued when four boundaries resulted from the opening over of the day from Anderson to Chanaka Welegedara.
The England swing bowler became England's fifth highest wicket-taker as he bowled Welegedara with a slower ball, and completed his 12th five-wicket haul when he ended Jayawardene's imperious innings with one that took the edge.
That impetus remained with the home team, however, and left-armer Suranga Lakmal swung a fine delivery back in to trap Alastair Cook lbw in the second over.
Jonathan Trott, who clipped two of his first three deliveries confidently for four, missed a full toss from Herath and was easily stumped by Prasanna Jayawardene, before colliding in comical fashion with the wicketkeeper and collapsing on his back in the middle of the pitch.
England were reduced to 42-3 when Andrew Strauss, attempting to sweep, was lbw in Herath's next over. Though initially given not-out by Asaf Rauf, Sri Lanka's successful referral highlighted the error of judgement from both batsman and official.
Sri Lanka lost their first three wickets on Monday for even fewer before Jayawardene's masterclass, but the omens for something similar from England were not good, given Bell and Pietersen's recent fallibility against spin.
Bell, who launched Herath for an imperious straight six, lost Pietersen to the first ball he faced after lunch, driving loosely at Welegedara and bowled via inside edge through a gaping hole between bat and pad.
Matt Prior and Samit Patel misjudged the length and were trapped lbw on the crease by Herath, but Stuart Broad hit three fours and a six in four balls on his way to 28 to at least help England avoid the ignominy of the follow-on.
Bell completed his 29th Test fifty, scoring more in one innings than he had managed in all six in the series against Pakistan, and had begun to display his stylish repertoire of strokes when he succumbed to the one delivery from Herath that turned significantly, pitching on middle stump and hitting off.
It needed a last-wicket stand of 36 between Anderson and Monty Panesar to ensure the tourists scored more than Jayawardene, but the late fluency of the runs merely compounded the anguish of the earlier clatter of wickets.
The Sri Lanka captain was soon back at the crease after Broad and Swann each took a wicket in their opening over.
Even Jayawardene could not repeat the dominance he showed in the first innings, edging low to slip, leaving Sri Lanka 14-3. Remarkably, they had lost their first three wickets even more cheaply than first time around.
When Swann, in contrast to the forlorn figure of day one, found more turn to have Kumar Sangakkara caught in the gully for 14, Sri Lanka's lead was 166 with six wickets remaining.
The obdurate Thilan Samaraweera made an uncharacteristic charge down the wicket and was neatly stumped to give Swann a fourth wicket, but English optimism will be tempered by the knowledge that the mental state of their batsmen has to be examined again in the final innings.
Alan Shearer says Glenn Hoddle a realistic contender for England
Alan Shearer says Glenn Hoddle is a realistic contender for the England manager's job should Harry Redknapp not be appointed.
The former England boss said on Monday his "life would be incomplete" without a second opportunity as national boss.
Shearer was made England captain by Hoddle, scoring five goals during qualification for the 1998 World Cup and two in the tournament.
"His coaching was excellent and he had a decent record," Shearer said.
Shearer won 63 caps and scored 30 goals for England during a 10-year international career that ended when he retired after Euro 2000.
Hoddle managed England from 1996 to 1999, leading them into the World Cup in France in 1998.
England were knocked out in the second round by Argentina in the match which saw David Beckham sent off for kicking Diego Simeone.
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Despite the exit, the team were widely praised for their performance.
Asked if Hoddle was a realistic contender to succeed Fabio Capello, who quit in Feburary , Shearer told BBC Sport: "Why shouldn't he be? He was successful when he was England manager.
"On the pitch everyone liked him. He gave me the England captaincy so I thought he was fantastic!"
Hoddle resigned in 1999 after controversial comments about disabled people and has not coached since leaving Wolves in 2006.
Shearer said the nature of Hoddle's departure could be an issue for any return, but added: "I think there is only one man for the job: Harry.
"If he gets it, great. If he doesn't, then those questions [about Hoddle's resignation] we will ask after that."
While Redknapp remains the favourite to succeed Capello, West Brom boss Roy Hodgson has been linked with the role and England caretaker manager Stuart Pearce has said he would be happy to remain in charge for Euro 2012.
Andy Roddick beats Roger Federer at the Miami Masters
Roger Federer's 16-match winning streak came to an end when he was beaten 7-6 (7-4) 1-6 6-4 by Andy Roddick in the third round of the Miami Masters.
"I came out flat today," the Swiss said. "I was a bit tired, I guess."
World number one Novak Djokovic secured his place in round four with a 6-3 6-4 win over fellow Serbian Victor Troicki.
In the women's draw, top seed Victoria Azarenka progressed to the quarter-final stage by beating Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova 1-6 7-6 (9-7) 7-5.
Having lost the second set, Roddick survived three break points in the opening game of the decider and then broke Federer immediately.
It was only the American's third victory in 24 meetings against Federer and ended a losing sequence against top-three players stretching back to 2010.
That's maybe 30 matches for the season. I am just feeling like it's taken its toll a bit," said Federer, who has won tournaments in Rotterdam, Dubai and Indian Wells this year.
Djokovic needed only 85 minutes to secure victory but had to save seven break points on his way to the last 16.
The Serbian will meet Richard Gasquet for a place in the quarter-finals after the Frenchman's win over Albert Ramos.
Azarenka, who beat Brit Heather Watson in the previous round, edged a marathon match lasting two hours and 49 minutes.
The Belarusian's winning run, which now stretches to 26 games, looked in serious jeopardy after she lost the first set.
"I definitely wasn't thinking about the streak, that's for sure," Azarenka said.
"It felt like she closed her eyes and just went for everything and I couldn't really just open my eyes. I was just blinded a little."
Former world number one Serena Williams - five-time winner of this tournament - beat sixth seed Sam Stosur 7-5 6-3 to set up a quarter-final encounter with fourth seed Caroline Wozniacki, who saw off Yanina Wickmayer 7-6 (8-6) 6-0.
Second seed Maria Sharapova's 6-4 7-6 (7-3) victory over Ekaterina Makarova secured a last-eight clash with Li Na , a 3-6 6-4 6-2 winner over Sabine Lasicki.
Marion Bartoli needed only 66 minutes to dispatch Maria Kirilenko 6-1 6-2.
Pope Benedict calls for open society during Cuba visit
Pope Benedict XVI has urged Cubans to build an "open and renewed society", at the start of the first papal visit to the communist-run country in 14 years.
At a Mass in front of some 200,000 people in the eastern city of Santiago, he called for a "renewed society".
The Pontiff was welcomed by President Raul Castro who said the country enjoyed good relations with the Church.
His visit marks the 400th anniversary of Cuba's patron saint, the Virgin of Charity of El Cobre.
The icon - also known as the Mambisa Virgin - was found floating in a bay in 1612 by fishermen and was revered by Cuba's independence heroes.
'Dignity'
"Devotion to the Virgin Mambisa has sustained the faith and inspired the defence and promotion of all that gives dignity to the human condition and fundamental rights," the Pope said on his arrival in the country, where Roman Catholics now account for 10% of the population.
"I carry in my heart the just aspirations and legitimate desires of all Cubans, wherever they may be, their sufferings and their joys, their concerns and their noblest desires," he said.
He added that he was convinced that the country "at this moment of particular importance in its history" was "looking to the future" and "striving to renew and broaden its horizons".
President Castro was seated in the front row of the Mass in Cuba's second largest city as believers sang hymns and prayed in Santiago's Revolution Square.
The Pope appealed to the audience to reinvigorate their faith "that you may strive to build a renewed and open society, a better society, one more worthy of humanity".
Before the Mass, one man was arrested after shouting: "Down with communism". Others in the audience booed him for spoiling the atmosphere and shouted: "Cuba, Cuba, Cuba".
'Renew horizons'
Ahead of his visit, Pope Benedict had suggested Cuba's Marxist structure "no longer corresponds to reality" and called for the adoption of a "new model".
But on his arrival, he recognised Cuba's efforts to "renew and broaden its horizons".
In his speech at the airport, President Castro said socialist Cuba allowed full freedom of religion and enjoyed good relations with the Catholic Church.
He said Cuba shared the Pope's concerns over global poverty, inequality and environmental destruction.
And he stressed that Cuba was determined to defend its independence in the face of the US embargo.
Both leaders looked back to the visit by the late Pope John Paul II 14 years ago, which Pope Benedict said "was like a gentle breeze that gave new strength to the Church in Cuba".
Observers say relations between Church and state have warmed in Cuba in recent years.
Raul Castro has accepted the Church's mediation on issues such as political prisoners, recognising its position as the most influential organisation outside the communist government.
The Pope's visit is seen as an effort to further improve relations and increase the role of the church in Cuban society at a time of rapid change.
The Pope is expected to travel to Havana later for private talks with President Castro and will celebrate Mass in the capital's Revolution Square on Wednesday.
Church officials have said there is no time in his schedule to meet dissidents.
Opposition groups say dozens of dissidents were detained ahead of the visit, and others were prevented from attending the service in Santiago.
Pope Benedict's trip to Cuba follows a visit to Mexico, where he celebrated a huge open-air Mass at the Christ the King monument in the central city of Silao.
He urged the 500,000 Catholics gathered for the sermon to look to their faith in response to poverty and crime and to reject violence and revenge.
Jamaica: PNP AGAIN! Governing party thumps JLP in Local Gov’t Elections
THE ruling People’s National Party (PNP) demolished the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) in yesterday’s Local Government Elections, taking 12 of the 13 parish councils, among them the prized Kingston and St Andrew Corporation in the capital city.
The governing party also won the Portmore Municipal Council and saw its candidate George Lee unseating the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP’s) Keith Hinds in the island’s only mayoral race.
The Trelawny Parish Council ended in a tie.
This was the second time in three months that the PNP was celebrating, having crushed the JLP 42-21 seats in parliamentary elections last December.
But yesterday’s poll was characterised by a low voter turnout of 34.5 per cent, according to the Electoral Office of Jamaica, a significant drop from the 53 per cent voter turnout in the December election.
The victory represented a reversal of fortunes for the PNP which won only three of the 13 councils in the 2007 Local Government polls.
In yesterday’s elections, the PNP took 149 of the 228 divisions. The JLP won 77, while two divisions went to independents — Lester Crooks (Riverside in Hanover) and Paul Patmore (Lorrimers in Trelawny).
Early yesterday afternoon, Opposition Leader Andrew Holness, in what appeared like a premature concession statement, expressed concern at the lack of voter interest in the elections, describing it as a threat to democracy.
“In a low voter turnout environment, the winning party only needs to use national resources to take care of the small portion of the electorate that votes for them and possibly placate the portion of the electorate that votes against them,” Holness said.
“This is the recipe for staying in power. However, without an engaged citizenry, oversight and accountability for government action are weak. Eventually governments stray from the best interest of all the people to focus on the interests of the party faithful.
“Government is therefore captured by political elite serving a voting minority. This is a threat to our democracy. I am concerned,” said Holness, who also recommended that the phenomenon of low voter turnout in elections be studied carefully.
Last night, at exactly 10 o’clock, a beaming Portia Simpson Miller, the prime minister and PNP president, told jubilant supporters at PNP headquarters on Old Hope Road in Kingston that local government is critical to the development of Jamaica and to ensure the delivery of services to communities.
“We have done it again,” she told the crowd, many of whom began celebrating a mere hour after the polls were closed yesterday and long before the Electoral Office of Jamaica had officially declared a victory for the governing party.
Not even the persistent raindrops could dampen the spirits of the supporters who immediately got into party mode as they awaited the address from the party leader.
“We are humbled by your support, and [I am] personally humbled by the support as I moved across the country working in the wee hours,” she added.
The opposition leader, she said, asked for a referendum and he got one on December 29 and another last night.
In an obvious reference to the JLP’s campaign slogan for the Local Government Elections, Simpson Miller said the people of Jamaica have “balanced the ting” by forming a union of local and central government.
“Now elections are behind us, the Government can settle down to face the challenges and they are many,” Simpson Miller said.
She wasted no time getting down to business as she introduced councillor for the Norman Gardens Division and vice-president of the party, Angela Brown Burke, as the next mayor of Kingston.
Simpson Miller also challenged the councillors to be accountable and responsible.
“There must be accountability, and they must operate in a responsible way,” she said.
Jamaica Observer