Kimo Tynes Appointed as Director of Communications
The Office of the Deputy Governor and Head of the Public Service is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Kimo Tynes as the Director of Communications within the Communications Directorate in the Office of the Premier and Public Policy.
Tynes is a seasoned communications professional with a distinguished background in international communication. Holding a Master's in International Communication & Development from City, University of London, United Kingdom, a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) from York University, Toronto, Canada, and an Associates of Arts Degree from Camosun College, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, he brings a wealth of experience and academic excellence to his new role.
Since October 2022, Tynes has served as the Deputy Director of Communications, showcasing his exceptional skills in delivering communication strategies aligned with government priorities. His ability to manage reputational risks, exercise sound judgment, and provide authoritative leadership to his team has been evident.
Tynes consistently aligns communication delivery to secure government objectives, utilizing media and marketing strategies, internal communication, and stakeholder engagement to inform critical audiences.
Before joining the Communications Directorate, Tynes served as the Consular Officer for the Turks and Caicos Islands Government in London from 2015 to 2022. He also held the position of Senior Public Relations Officer for the former Turks and Caicos Tourist Board, bringing valuable insights from both the public and private sectors.
Commenting on Mr. Tynes' appointment, Head of the Public Service and Deputy Governor, Her Excellency Anya Williams, stated: "I’m elated to congratulate Mr. Kimo Tynes on his appointment as the Director of Communications within the Communications Directorate in the Office of the Premier and Public Policy.
This is a significant achievement for the Turks and Caicos Islands Government as Mr. Tynes will serve as the first Director of the Communications Directorate since its establishment in 2022. The role of the Communications Directorate is critical as it is responsible for communicating the plans, actions, and vision for the government to every tier of society.
With a proven track record of developing and implementing compelling communication plans, Mr. Tynes has displayed a remarkable ability to enable and drive organizational priorities. His leadership includes effective management of resources and budgets to achieve value for money, identifying cost-saving opportunities, and ensuring the efficient delivery of communication objectives.
We are confident in Mr. Tynes’ ability to take on this task and to lead the Communications Directorate into the next phases of its operations." End quote
Congratulations on this well-deserved career achievement, Kimo!”
Experience Turks and Caicos appoints Chique Williams
Experience Turks and Caicos is pleased to announce that Chique Williams has been confirmed in the role of Receptionist effective March 1st, 2024.
Williams served in the role on a contractual basis before her permanent appointment. She is a bright, young woman who brings to the job a strong, positive attitude, organisation skills, and an ability to think critically and take initiative.
As Receptionist, Williams will be responsible for handling queries from the public, distributing informational material, and assisting her colleagues as needed.
Congratulations!
Bitcoin price briefly tops $69,000 for new all-time high
The price of the world's largest cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, briefly hit a new all-time high of more than $69,000.
It surpassed the previous record set in November 2021 - though by 2022 Bitcoin's value had sunk to $16,500.
The new surge in price has been spurred by US finance giants pouring billions into buying bitcoins.
The cryptocurrency rose to around $69,200 shortly after 15:00 GMT on Tuesday, before falling back. It was trading around $62,185 by 21:00 GMT.
Bitcoin's value has spiked by more than 50% over the last month, according to cryptocurrency market data platform CoinMarketCap.
Carol Alexander, professor of finance at Sussex University, said its price could go higher than its new record but warned that crypto was "notoriously volatile."
"Too often in the past, the price crash was timed so that ordinary investors buying Bitcoin during the bubble are the ones who lose out," she told the BBC.
The new record represents another dramatic moment in Bitcoin's turbulent history.
It was invented in 2009 by a person or persons calling themselves Satoshi Nakamoto - their true identity remains a mystery.
Conceived as a means to create money for the internet, its roots lay in an anti-establishment ethos encouraging people to live free from the existing power structure of financial institutions and governments.
However, its new all-time high value has come about precisely because those establishment firms have been pouring billions of dollars into acquiring it.
That has been made possible because, in January 2024, US regulators reluctantly approved several spot Bitcoin Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs).
That allowed giant investment firms like Blackrock, Fidelity, and Grayscale to sell products based on the price of Bitcoin.
Between them, they have been buying hundreds of thousands of bitcoins, rapidly driving up their value.
Prof Alexander told the BBC these entrants "are attracting institutional investors into Bitcoin and they are putting a considerable upward pressure on price."
But she added Bitcoin's "halving" event, expected to take place in April, may also influence the cryptocurrency's value.
"In the past, these events have been accompanied by price surges," she said.
For many holders of Bitcoin, this will be a moment to celebrate - as their wealth will have risen a great deal.
But history suggests they should be prepared for that to change.
Bitcoin's value tumbled to 18-month lows of nearly $20,000 in June 2022 as investors sought to cut ties with riskier investments amid a gloomy global economic outlook.
The cryptocurrency's price slumped further later that year when FTX - the huge cryptocurrency exchange founded by the so-called "king of crypto" Sam Bankman-Fried - collapsed into bankruptcy in November 2022.
Its peaks and troughs continued throughout 2023, but it managed to climb back up to trade above $40,000 towards the end of the year.
It is not just companies and individual investors who have been tracking those fluctuations closely.
In Central America, El Salvador's president Nayib Bukele has embraced the cryptocurrency.
The Bitcoin-loving leader has spent more than $100m of his developing nation's public money on buying almost 3000 bitcoins over the last few years.
His investment is now worth around 60% more than he paid for it. Although no public records have been released on the specifics.
Source- BBC
Bahamas experiences growth in January according to Central Bank
The Central Bank of the Bahamas (CBB) says preliminary indications are that during January, the domestic economy sustained its growth momentum, although at a more tempered pace, with economic indicators returning closer to their expected medium-term potential.
In its outlook for the domestic economy, the CBB said that as the economy converges closer to its medium-term growth potential, the domestic economy is anticipated to expand at a moderated pace in 2024, supported by ongoing gains in the tourism industry and other areas of the real sector.
“However, the downside risks to tourism persist, related mainly to exogenous factors, such as geopolitical tensions and heightened global oil prices, which could disrupt travel sector activity.
“Moreover, the resumption in major central banks’ counter-inflation policies could curtail the travel spending capacity of key source market consumers. Nevertheless, new and ongoing foreign investment-led projects are expected to provide stimuli to the construction sector, and by extension, contribute to economic growth,” the CBB said in its “Monthly Economic and Financial Developments (MEFD) January 2024,” report released on Monday.
It said in the labour market, employment conditions are forecasted to improve, with additional job gains concentrated largely in the construction and tourism sectors. In price developments, inflation is projected to continue to trend downward, as improvements in global oil prices persist.
“Nonetheless, upside risks to inflation revolves around uncertainty in global oil prices and supply chain shortages, related to geopolitical tensions in Eastern Europe and the Middle East.”
On the fiscal front, the government’s net financing gap is anticipated to trend further downward. The expected recovery in revenue remains significantly linked to tourism-led improving trends in taxable economic activities.
Source-CMC
Decision Making in the Public Service: Avoiding Legal Challenges
The Attorney General's Chambers is pleased to have hosted a comprehensive training seminar titled "Decision Making in the Public Service: Avoiding Legal Challenges." This is the second seminar hosted by the Civil Litigation Division within the Chambers. It was designed to provide valuable insights and practical strategies for senior public service and public sector professionals to enhance their decision-making processes and mitigate the risk of legal challenges. It forms part of a training series offered by the Attorney Chamber’s Chambers.
Senior Public service professionals as well as senior leaders and senior managers in statutory bodies are often tasked with the responsibility of making critical and sometimes complex decisions that have far-reaching implications for their respective organizations as well as for the individuals and the public at large. It is therefore imperative for decision-makers to have a thorough understanding of legal principles, procedural requirements, and best practices to ensure that their decisions are robust, defensible, and consistent with the law.
The training seminar forms part of the Attorney General’s Chambers key strategic program delivery to meet its mandate of strengthening decision-making in the public sector. It covered a range of topics essential to effective decision-making in the public sector, including: -
- Understanding the Legal Framework: An overview of relevant legislation, regulations, and case law governing decision-making in the public sector.
- Procedural Fairness and Due Process: Best practices for ensuring procedural fairness, including consultation, transparency, and the duty to give reasons for decisions.
- Effective Communication and Documentation: The importance of clear and concise communication, record-keeping, and documentation in supporting defensible decision-making.
- The Disciplinary process - the investigation, the tribunal, and the final decision
- Suspension, Interdiction, and Administrative Leave; when and how they are applied and how to mitigate the risk of failing to follow the correct procedures
- Decision-making and Managing conflicts of Interest
- Case Studies and Practical Examples: Real-world case studies and scenarios illustrating common legal challenges faced by public service professionals, and strategies for avoiding or addressing these challenges.
The seminar was oversubscribed, seeing more than 100 participants. The seminar was hosted over two (2) days at the Palms Resort Conference Room in Providenciales and featured expert speakers and facilitators within the Civil Litigation Division of the Attorney General’s Chambers with practical experience representing the public service and the wider public sector in litigation where decision making forms a central feature of the matters at issue. The Presenters included Principal Crown Counsel Ms. Clemar B Hippolyte, Principal Legislative Drafter Ms. Desiree Downes, Senior Crown Counsel, Ms Khadija MacFarlane, Mr. Herbert Dakasi, and Crown Counsel Ms. Tamika Simms Williams. These attorneys form the Civil Litigation division with Ms Downes heading the Legislative Drafting division of the Attorney General’s Chambers. Together, this team of presenters have extensive experience in administrative law, governance, and public sector management and were able to deliver invaluable content and smoothly field questions from participants. Participants had the opportunity to engage in interactive discussions, group exercises, and networking opportunities to enhance their learning experience.
Opening the training remotely, Attorney General, Hon. Rhondalee Braithwaite Knowles OBE K.C. said "We are excited to offer this training seminar to public service and public sector professionals seeking to enhance their decision-making skills and minimize the risk of legal challenges.
“We see a range of issues as we undertake our work as legal representatives and advisers and it is an important part of our mandate to provide training that will assist in strengthening the capability of public service and public service professionals. We are very pleased with the strong uptake of the seminar.
“By providing practical guidance and insights, my Chambers aim to empower participants to make informed, defensible decisions that uphold the principles of accountability, transparency, and legality.”
At the end of the session, participants shared with RTC News that, “We appreciated the practical takeaways and actionable recommendations provided by the presenters during the two-day seminar. We feel equipped with new tools and techniques to improve our decision-making skills and enhance the quality of their decisions in the workplace.”
“I found the seminar to be highly relevant to our roles and responsibilities as professionals and public servants. The practical insights and strategies shared by the speakers could be directly applied to decision-making processes in the workplace.”
“The collaborative nature of the seminar facilitated valuable knowledge sharing and peer-to-peer learning, which I found to be enriching and insightful.”
Ministerial Swearing in on RTC
Join Radio Turks & Caicos at 9:30 am for live coverage of the swearing-in of Cabinet Members on 89.1fm, on www.rtc89fm.com or on the Radio Turks & Caicos App in the Google Play Store.
Criminal armed gangs claim power In Haiti
A coalition of wanted criminal armed gangs has claimed power in Haiti, blocking Prime Minister Dr. Ariel Henry from returning home after he had traveled to Kenya to sign an agreement allowing for a United Nations Security Council-sanctioned international force to restore peace and security in the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.
In addition, the gangs are threatening to gun down any aircraft flying him back to the troubled Caribbean country, where a three-member presidential council would be installed as an acting executive branch.
Outspoken and leftist political leader, Jean-Charles Moise, said the new government would soon be installed with a judge, Durin Duret Jr., as chairman assisted by former rebel leader and former police commissioner Guy Philippe, and Francoise Saint-Vil Villier, from the religious sector, a close ally to Moise.
“PM Henry and all the other members of the government must resign or they will face the consequences,” Moise told journalists on Tuesday.
“Many ministers and other government officials have gone into hiding, because they are nowhere to be found,” Moise said, promising that members of government who would cooperate would have nothing to fear.
But, he warned, “those who would remain faithful to Ariel Henry would have to face the population’s anger and would be sought after and chased.”
Moise has also warned foreign diplomats not to interfere with the countries’ internal matters, under the penalty of being kicked out of the country.
” Any good help from cooperating countries will be welcome, but everything should be done according to terms that take into account our interests and dignity,” Moise told reporters.
Bursts of automatic weapons were fired, until late Monday night, from outside the international airport towards the landing runway, with gunmen simulating taking down an aircraft.
Footage obtained by Haitian-Caribbean News Network (HCNN) shows a man standing on the roof of a sports utility vehicle and firing a machine gun toward the runway, as to show what could happen to Henry tries to enter the country by air on Tuesday night.
And many of the gunmen came from nearby slums part of the larger gang coalition.
Members of the group appeared on Tuesday very determined to install a new regime to effectively lead the country unless a firm and resolute decision by the United States or other big international players – such as Canada, France or Europe – to compel actors to do otherwise.
The gang members seem ready to start the takeover process immediately with political observers noting that “they now control the country; there’s absolutely no challenge to their efforts to establish themselves as Haiti’s new masters.”
Approximately 5,000 detainees have fled Haiti’s prison and the bodies of at least 14 people have been counted on the streets in different neighborhoods of the capital Port-au-Prince, several rights groups told HCNN.
“At the national penitentiary, six or seven detainees were killed. Three were found dead in the immediate surroundings of the prison, while two or three were killed inside the facility,” said Pierre Rene Francois, Haitian police inspector general, in charge of the country’s jails.
Source- CMC
Americans vote on Super Tuesday
US voters head to the polls in 15 states spanning the breadth of the continent on Tuesday, from Maine to California and Alaska to Alabama.
At stake are more than a third of the delegates to this summer's Democratic and Republican conventions, which will determine the two major parties' presidential candidates.
It is the biggest one-day prize of the presidential nomination calendar, conducted in states (and American Samoa) with a total population of more than 134 million.
This year's Super Tuesday is not expected to generate many surprises, with Joe Biden and Donald Trump continuing their march towards a rematch of the 2020 election in November.
As the results roll in throughout the evening, however, there will still be plenty to watch out for. Here are four key things to keep in mind.
1. A Trump rout in the making?
Republicans have held 10 nomination contests so far. In all but one - Sunday's primary in Washington DC - Donald Trump has been victorious.
Polls indicate that the former president will run the table on Super Tuesday, carrying the 15 states by a comfortable margin. If he does so, he will build up a near-insurmountable lead in convention delegates, given that many of the states allocate their entire slate of delegates to whoever wins a majority of the vote.
While Mr Trump may not be able to mathematically guarantee that he is the Republican Party nominee, a strong Super Tuesday should eliminate whatever shadow of doubt there was remaining even after his early successes.
Behind what should be formidable top-line numbers, however, keep an eye on exit polls that may reveal continued disaffection with the former president among some primary voters. Earlier surveys indicated a not insignificant minority would not support Mr Trump in November - or could turn on him if he were to be found guilty in one of his trials.
2. Nikki Haley's exit plan
The former South Carolina governor, Mr Trump's sole remaining Republican opponent, has benefitted from the support of many of those anti-Trump primary voters, but it hasn't been nearly enough. She has doggedly stayed in the race despite a streak of bad results (Washington DC, notwithstanding).
Weeks ago she pledged to stick it out through Super Tuesday, hoping to add to her delegate totals, particularly in the 11 states holding primaries that are open to non-Republican voters, an area of relative strength for her. Already, however, rumors are floating that she is preparing to end her campaign in the days ahead.
A particularly thorough drubbing on Tuesday may accelerate those plans or even lead her to throw in the towel that evening. Assuming she doesn't do that, look for hints in her speech on Tuesday night as to her plans in the coming days.
Will she ultimately endorse Mr Trump, as her fellow non-Trump presidential rivals have? Would she reconsider an independent presidential bid? Is she already positioning for a 2028 presidential run?
At 53, Ms Haley is still young (for a national politician). But the decisions she makes after Super Tuesday could go a long way in determining what doors open and which are slammed shut.
3. A Biden protest vote
If there's little drama in the Republican primary race at this point, there's practically none on the Democratic side.
Joe Biden has rolled to comfortable victories against token opposition in South Carolina and Michigan (as well as a nonbinding vote in New Hampshire). He appears poised to continue his march on Tuesday.
The most consequential obstacle to the president so far has come from those who oppose his Gaza policy. They accuse him of turning a blind eye to what critics regard as Palestinian genocide, an accusation which Israel vehemently denies, saying it is focused on destroying Hamas.
In Michigan last week, more than 100,000 voters - 12% of the total - turned out to cast ballots for "uncommitted" instead of for Mr. Biden, as part of an organized Gaza war protest
While there do not seem to be similar efforts in the 14 states that hold Democratic votes on Tuesday (Republicans are also voting in Alaska), watch the results to see if there are any significant non-Biden surprises.
With its largest-in-the-nation Muslim and Arab population, Michigan's results may be the high water mark for the Gaza protest. But turnout levels across the US, as well as opinions registered in exit polls by Democratic voters, could provide indications of the strength (or weakness) of Mr Biden's campaign efforts so far.
Suriname defeats the TCI but El Salvador advances
Suriname thrashed our Turks and Caicos Islands but El Salvador edged Antigua and Barbuda to top Group B and secure qualification for the CONCACAF Under-20 Championship.
Behind braces from Robinio Pinas (14th, 31st) and Djaier Prijor (20th, 31st), Suriname appeared en route to qualification when they stormed to a 7-2 victory at the ABFA Technical Centre on Saturday.
However, El Salvador beat the hosts 1-0 in the second game of the doubleheader, courtesy of Christopher Guardado’s 58th-minute strike, to return to the top on 10 points – a single point clear of the Surinamese.
Entering the final round game knowing only a win would keep alive their chances of qualification, Suriname went ahead as early as the fifth minute when Yamano Olfers scored with a bullet-header at the far post from a right-sided cross.
Pinas added the second in the 14th with a glancing header from the center of the box before Donagay Misidjang wriggled past the advancing goalkeeper Leishawn Green to net from close range three minutes later.
Prijor got his first in the 20th before both he and Pinas both scored their second in the 31st minute, as Suriname pumped in all seven goals in the first half.
For the losers, Cory Williams (28th) and Hency Gedeon (87th) responded.
In Manugua, Belize whipped Anguilla 4-1 to earn their first points of Group A with Felix Martinez (3rd, 10th, 24th) banging in a first-half hat-trick, while Barbados earned a 1-1 draw with Aruba in Guatemala City in Group C.
Also in Group C, Curacao went down 1-0 to group winners Guatemala.
Criminal armed gangs claim power In Haiti
A coalition of wanted criminal armed gangs has claimed power in Haiti, blocking Prime Minister Dr. Ariel Henry from returning home after he had traveled to Kenya to sign an agreement allowing for a United Nations Security Council-sanctioned international force to restore peace and security in the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.
In addition, the gangs are threatening to gun down any aircraft flying him back to the troubled Caribbean country, where a three-member presidential council would be installed as an acting executive branch.
Outspoken and leftist political leader, Jean-Charles Moise, said the new government would soon be installed with a judge, Durin Duret Jr., as chairman assisted by former rebel leader and former police commissioner Guy Philippe, and Francoise Saint-Vil Villier, from the religious sector, a close ally to Moise.
“PM Henry and all the other members of the government must resign or they will face the consequences,” Moise told journalists on Tuesday.
“Many ministers and other government officials have gone into hiding, because they are nowhere to be found,” Moise said, promising that members of government who would cooperate would have nothing to fear.
But, he warned, “those who would remain faithful to Ariel Henry would have to face the population’s anger and would be sought after and chased.”
Moise has also warned foreign diplomats not to interfere with the countries’ internal matters, under the penalty of being kicked out of the country.
” Any good help from cooperating countries will be welcome, but everything should be done according to terms that take into account our interests and dignity,” Moise told reporters.
Bursts of automatic weapons were fired, until late Monday night, from outside the international airport towards the landing runway, with gunmen simulating taking down an aircraft.
Footage obtained by Haitian-Caribbean News Network (HCNN) shows a man standing on the roof of a sports utility vehicle and firing a machine gun toward the runway, to show what could happen to Henry tries to enter the country by air on Tuesday night.
And many of the gunmen came from nearby slums part of the larger gang coalition.
Members of the group appeared on Tuesday very determined to install a new regime to effectively lead the country unless a firm and resolute decision by the United States or other big international players – such as Canada, France or Europe – to compel actors to do otherwise.
The gang members seem ready to start the takeover process immediately with political observers noting “They now control the country; there’s absolutely no challenge to their efforts to establish themselves as Haiti’s new masters.”
Approximately 5,000 detainees have fled Haiti’s prison and the bodies of at least 14 people have been counted on the streets in different neighborhoods of the capital Port-au-Prince, several rights groups told HCNN.
“At the national penitentiary, six or seven detainees were killed. Three were found dead in the immediate surroundings of the prison, while two or three were killed inside the facility,” said Pierre Rene Francois, Haitian police inspector general, in charge of the country’s jails.
Source- CMC