Consultative Forum Meeting set for 13th December 2011
The Consultative Forum meets in open session on Tuesday 13th December from 9:30 am at the NJS Francis building, Grand Turk. There are twenty-four questions for oral answers from the Chief Executive and the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance. The Forum will also debate two bills; on the census and statistics, referred by HE the Governor and receive a presentation by Member Dr. Linda Williams.
RTC News will have the forum live on Radio Turks & Caicos and via our streams on this website.
Residents Encouraged to Practice Energy Conservation
With rising crude oil prices continuing to affect the Turks and Caicos Islands, as well as the recently announced increase in the Customs Processing Fee, FortisTCI Ltd is once again encouraging residents to practice good energy conservation, especially during the upcoming Christmas period.
FortisTCI’s fuel factor rate, which is determined by the price of diesel oil charged by the Company’s fuel supplier, has been on the increase because of the constant rise in world crude oil prices. The November fuel factor rate, which will appear on customers’ December bills is $0.2322 KWH, an increase from October’s rate of $0.2312.
Allan Robinson, VP of Customer and Corporate Services, stressed the importance of energy conservation, noting that, “FortisTCI is very focused on lowering the cost of generating electricity. We have achieved significant increases in fuel efficiency which means that every gallon of fuel we don’t have to purchase translates into savings for our customers.”
Mr. Robinson further noted, “FortisTCI will also embark on an energy audit exercise in January 2012, which will see our T&D team visiting interested customers who would like to carry out their own energy audit surveys. These audits are free and will assist customers in becoming more aware of their electricity consumption and help manage their electricity bills.”
For more information on the Fuel Factor Rate and Energy Conservation tip, persons should visit FortisTCI’s website at www.fortistci.com.
Remarks at CPA Orientation Workshop in Grand Turk
PS Finance Delton Jones made the following remarks at the CPA workshop held in Grand Turk. Here is the full text of his speech.
It is indeed a privilege for me to make remarks at this orientation workshop for the TCI Country Poverty Assessment (CPA).
In bringing these remarks, I must first thank the Caribbean Development Bank for providing the funding for the CPA. I would also like to congratulate the Project Consultants on their winning bid, based on our initial meeting yesterday I am looking forward to working along with you as you work along with us – the National Assessment Team – to undertake this very important and timely survey.
Finally, I would like to thank all of you here for accepting the invitation from the Ministry of Finance to serve on the NAT. I would also like to pay tribute to Mr. and Mrs Forbes and the team at DEPS for their dedication to the CPA process in the current very challenging civil service context.
I would like to point out that during 1999 the Bank provided assistance to the TCI to undertake a CPA, as part of a wider regional project. I was a part of that process and I am pleased that report of the earlier CPA was a seminal work on social and economic development conditions in the TCI, whose recommendations informed poverty reduction and other socioeconomic policies at the time: for example A Poverty Reduction Action Plan was prepared and was the basis for TCI assistance under the Bank’s Basic Needs Trust Fund Program for a number of years. Indeed a number of other empowerment interventions by successive TCI Governments in the areas of health, education and small business development found their genesis in the 1999 CPA report.
When the CPA was undertaken the intention was to develop in-country capacity to carry similar assessments every five (5) years. Due to capacity gaps the CPAs have not been updated. In insuring period economic and social conditions and indeed the face of poverty in the TCI has changed. We have experienced unprecedented economic growth and an even more spectacular bust, whose consequences we are still grappling with today – the impacts of which are influencing the poverty conditions which the CPA will analysis and measure.
The current CPA is critical and will therefore look at poverty conditions in the TCI since 1999 while paying particular attention to building local capacity for future updating of the CPA and carrying out other relevant surveys from time to time. There will no doubt be very revealing results, which I am sure would be widely debated in our community and further afield.
The CPA in the TCI will benefit from the vast experience of the CDB over the years and will be undertaken following tried and tested methodology; which gives us the assurance the objectives of the CPA will be achieved. It should be noted that the overall objective of the CPA is to assess the current conditions affecting the welfare of the people, identify policies, strategies action programs and projects that would reduce the extent and severity of poverty in the TCI. The CPA would analyses poverty conditions taking into consideration gender, age and demographic issues, the processes that generate and maintain conditions conducive to poverty, existing responses to poverty and improved responses to poverty
The CPA methodology has the following elements: a quantitative survey of living conditions; a qualitative assessment of macro-social and economic environment, institutional analyses and participatory poverty assessment. These would be complemented by a poverty and social impact analysis (PSIA) of current programs.
The results of the CPA would inform poverty reduction and alleviation policies and other education, health and employment strategies within the country. They would also inform the design of future donor programs in the TCI. The CPA would also look at progress on achieving the Millennium Development Goals and provide a basis for international comparison with other countries.
This time around the TCI will seek to integrate the CPA with the Census and the Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES). This would ensure complementary actions to limit duplication and maximize capacity.
In ending these remarks I would like to make a few comments on the role of the NAT and its importance.
The National Assessment Team (NAT) working in collaboration with the Government, the Project Consultants is actually the owner of the CPA. This why today we have assembled stakeholders and representation consisting of officials from the government statistics department, the departments responsible for social and economic policies, health, education and gender affairs; CBO and NGOs. This proposed broad based NAT will ensure views and perspectives from various disciplines and spheres of influence which both cause and seek to address poverty conditions are brought together as part of the CPA process.
As so today the orientation workshop is designed to elaborate on the CPA process and the roles and responsibilities of the NAT and other parties such as the Bank, the government and the consultant. So once we leave here today we must be assured of our respective role s and what we can do to ensure that the CPA is successful.
The key point we have to promote is local ownership of the CPA through and active NAT. This is vital if we are have the local capacity to update the CPA in the future.
Therefore Your role, our role, my role as a member of the NAT is of critical importance if we are to have a success result. We therefore will work towards ensuring the NAT is effectively organized to carry out its work across the length and breadth of the TCI. This will ensure that local knowledge and islands and community specific conditions are captured and reflected in the CPA process. The NAT would also contribute to successful results by assisting with data collection and organizing and hosting community level meetings. There would also be subcommittees of the NAT to look at specific issues. We also envisage that the NAT would be involved in championing the CPA and also in local public relations. To facilitate the NAT the government will provide secretariat services to prepare and organize meetings, mount a public relations program and ensure information distribution and communications with the members of the NAT.
Thank you for your presence here today and welcome again.
Delton Jones
NATO, Russia Still at Odds over Missile Shield
NATO foreign ministers failed to ease Russian fears over a proposed missile defense shield in Europe.
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Thursday the sides still have differences over the proposal but plan to keep talking. He also rejected Moscow's claims that the shield could be used against Russia.
Rasmussen spoke following a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Brussels.
Russia warned Wednesday that the U.S. and NATO were forcing a new arms race by deploying a missile defense shield in Europe.
Last week, Russia officially opened a new anti-missile radar station in the Baltic Sea region of Kaliningrad.
Russia says it is willing to cooperate with the West and work together to share technology and jointly build a missile defense system — a proposal NATO has already rejected. Russian Chief of Staff General Nikolai Makarov questioned why NATO will not meet Russia halfway and suggested the alliance's refusal means they have something to gain from it.
The two-day session will also take a look at efforts in Afghanistan and the withdrawal of foreign troops from the war-torn country in 2014. The meeting will also focus on the ongoing NATO mission in Kosovo.
Chinese consumers worried about contaminated Meiji milk
Many Chinese milk consumers said they will stop purchasing Japanese Meiji products after the company said that radioactive cesium was discovered in their infant milk powder on Tuesday.
"I was supposed to ask my aunt to purchase some Meiji milk powder products in Japan because of the high quality," a pregnant Beijing resident told the Global Times on Wednesday.
"But I do not plan to buy their products and will purchase American or Dutch milk powder instead," she said, adding she would not purchase any Japanese food either as it might also be contaminated with radiation.
She also said that one of her relatives, whose child drank the contaminated milk, was extremely nervous about the physical harm which could come to her child.
Separately, numerous Sina microbloggers also expressed their concern over other Meiji products, such as Meiji chocolates.
"Are Meiji chocolates also contaminated since its milk products are polluted?” asked one Web user named "Shenshenzhou" who posted the message Wednesday on Sina Weibo, China's Twitter-like service.
Meiji said on Tuesday that up to 30.8 becquerels (a unit of radioactivity) per kilogram were found in the milk powder and it has started recalling 400,000 contaminated cans, which were only sold in Japan with an October 2012 expiration date.
A huge number of Chinese consumers purchased Meiji milk via online sales dealers and expressed their concerns over whether their product could also be recalled by the company.
Xu Xia, who works in the marketing department at the Meiji Dairies Cooperation in Shanghai, told the Global Times on Wednesday they did not receive any news from the company’s headquarters whether the contaminated products purchased online by Chinese consumers will be recalled.
However, customers can directly send back the recalled products to the Saitama Factory?Co, Ltd, a manufacturer?of Meiji in Saitama, Japan, for a replacement, according to Meiji’s website, which did not say whether or not any of the items bought by their Chinese customers will experience a recall at some level.
The Yangtze Evening News reported on Tuesday that all contaminated Meiji milk products have been removed from taobao.com, one of China's most famous B2C platforms. And those who purchased the contaminated products can ask for a refund from the sales dealers according to their order numbers.
Putin Accuses US of Provoking Unrest
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is lashing out at the United States, accusing Washington of riling up the opposition.
Mr. Putin said Thursday that remarks by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton “gave a signal” to his opponents.
Clinton said Tuesday that Russia's parliamentary elections were neither free nor fair, and that the results raised “serious concerns.”
Opposition leaders have overseen three days of protests to express their frustration with the elections. International observers say Sunday's vote was marred by widespread allegations of ballot-box stuffing and other irregularities.
Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev has called for Russia's parliamentary election to be annulled and a new vote held. The 80-year-old said the results do not reflect the will of the people.
Fifty-thousand police officers backed by helicopters patrolled the streets of Moscow Wednesday – arresting 50 demonstrators – in a show of force. Security officials said 550 people had been arrested in Moscow protests the night before.
A social networking site is promising nightly protests, but Russia's state-run television channels have not mentioned the protests or the police buildup.
Opposition organizers have scheduled four major protests to be held in Moscow over the next 10 days, with the first set for Saturday near the Kremlin. Authorities have granted a permit for 300 people, but 23,000 have pledged to attend through Facebook and a Russian social networking site.
Pro-government supporters also rallied around the Kremlin. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's United Russia party won Sunday's vote, but with a considerably reduced parliamentary majority, at around 50 percent.
DRC Scheduled to Release Final Election Results
The Democratic Republic of Congo is scheduled to release the final results of last week's presidential election amid threats of violence from supporters of the top candidates.
The country's election commission was supposed to give the results on Tuesday, but announced a 48-hour delay.
Preliminary results from nearly 90 percent of polling places showed incumbent President Joseph Kabila was likely headed for re-election with almost 50 percent of the vote. His closest challenger, Etienne Tshisekedi had 33 percent.
The capital, Kinshasa, has been largely calm, but supporters of both men have hinted that violence could break out if their candidate is not named the winner.
Troops are on standby in case of unrest, while the United Nations, European Union and African Union have called on civilians and political figures to remain calm and avoid bloodshed.
Last week's balloting was only the second free election since the African nation was torn apart by several years of warfare that ended in 2003.
Voting was supposed to last for one day but stretched into three because of ballot shortages and scattered incidents of violence.
The delay in releasing results means Mr. Kabila has remained in office past the end of his term, which expired at midnight Tuesday.
Human Rights Watch says at least 18 people were killed in violence leading up to the vote.
Japanese Nuclear Plant Operator May Release More Contaminated Water
Officials at Japan's troubled Fukushima nuclear power plant said Thursday they are considering releasing more low-level radioactive water into the ocean.
Tokyo Electric Power Company warned that by March it may no longer have space to store the massive amount of water used to cool the damaged reactors at the plant.
TEPCO says it would only release the water after it is filtered to reduce levels of radioactive substances. The utility is also considering building more storage tanks to hold the radioactive water, but says it cannot do so indefinitely.
The plant operator already released tens of thousands of tons of contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean following the March disaster at the facility, which was crippled by a massive quake and ensuing tsunami.
The company says it is working to determine the environmental impact of releasing more waste water into the sea. A group representing Japanese fishermen is demanding that TEPCO scrap the idea.
Separately, TEPCO said on Monday that 45 tons of radioactive water has recently leaked from a purification device at the plant. Some of the water included the highly dangerous substance known as strontium, which is linked to bone cancer.
Beyoncé Knowles expects motherhood to be 'difficult'
The Halo singer is expecting her first child with husband Jay-Z and although she can't wait to welcome the new arrival to their family, Beyoncé admitted she is worried about getting on her child's nerves.
She told 20/20: "It's exciting! I know it's gonna be difficult at times. I know that, like my mother, I'm gonna get on my child's nerves [but] I'm just ready! I'm ready for the next chapter."
Beyoncé, 30, also revealed she has tried to control her pregnancy cravings because she is determined not to pile on the pounds.
She added: "I've been really conscious [about food]. I've been trying my best not to lose control.
"Because I've met so many people that say, 'My second baby, my third baby, I've learned my lesson.' So I haven't been going crazy. I know it's important that I don't lose myself."
Right time
The singer has previously spoken of how she feels it is the right time for her to have a baby now, as she has achieved so much in her music career.
She said: "My husband and I have been together for 10 years - all of my 20s - and I just feel like it's time and I'm very grateful that God has blessed me with the biggest gift any human being can have. I think because I've accomplished a lot of things for myself and I really know who I am, I didn't rush into anything. If it's any time, right now is the time, and I'm so happy."
HBO special on Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival... Showcases Brand Jamaica
The Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival has proven to be an important tool for marketing Jamaica throughout its 15-year history. The festival's ability to do this was further augmented this year with the premier of the HBO documentary special One Love: Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival, which widened the festival's audience from the several thousand who attend annually to the over 300 million viewers of the cable network.
The One Love documentary eases aside the curtain of the spectacle and entertainment enjoyed at Jamaica Jazz and Blues and takes the audience behind the scenes, where it allows them to delve into the making of one of the Caribbean's premiere music events. One Love provides an acute lens through which to explore the Festival and is richly seasoned with glimpses of some of Jamaica's major tourist attractions.
Insightful documentary
One Love captures the sights, sounds and, most important, the good vibrations that are at the core of the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival - The Art of Music. The insightful documentary also presents slices of the country's history and its cultural strength. Additionally, with HBO's prominence in creating an in-depth look at some of the world's most popular music performances, the documentary cements the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival as an important music event on the international landscape.
One Love: Jamaica Jazz and Blues presents interviews with key planners and members of the audience, interspersed with performances from the stellar 2011 line-up. The documentary features interviews and snippets of performances by Maroon 5, Natalie Cole, Regina Belle, Diana King, Alison Hinds, Tarrus Riley and Air Supply. Additionally, along with performances from the stars of the 2011 festival, the documentary also presents previous performers at the Jamaica Jazz and Blues such as Gladys Night, Lionel Richie, and Jon Secada.
One Love explores the time, lengthy planning process and intense labour that goes into creating the high-calibre festival. The documentary also showcases the Festival's strength as a unique musical event that features various genres of music and celebrated artists from around the world. The Jamaica Jazz and Blues 2011 Festival was an excellent example of that diversity with its offering of jazz, reggae, R&B, adult contemporary, soul and soca. With the line-up already announced for 2012, patrons can expect the same at the upcoming instalment.
By snagging international performers from across the world each year, the Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival has played a major role in bringing visitors to the island, a role highlighted by One Love.
Walter Elmore, CEO of the Art of Music Productions, the producers of the festival, points out that Jamaica Jazz and Blues is deliberately designed to allow patrons to enjoy not just the great music at the festival, but also explore the numerous attractions that the island has to offer during the day. "The festival usually culminates by about 1:30 each night so that patrons can experience a great night of music and then they wake up the next day and enjoy the diverse and authentic experiences, amazing people, and wonderful attractions that the country has to offer," he said.
One Love also promotes this concept. Along with presenting the sights and sounds of the festival, the documentary treks across the breadth of the north coast and turns the lens on major attractions in Negril, Trelawny and St Ann. Ricks Café, Cool Runnings Water Park, the Green Grotto Caves and Mystic Mountains are some of the attractions that are showcased, highlighting the diversity of attractions that can be found on the island.
Significant achievement
More and more, film and television shows are proving themselves as important to the promotion of the tourism product. With viewership in over 23 countries, the promotion of Jamaica on an HBO special is a significant achievement, which was engineered through the partnership between HBO and the telecommunications company Flow.
Indeed, through the celebrity interviews, One Love provides the rare opportunity of having major celebrities singing the island's praises, as they exalt the warmth of the people and the island. This, therefore, strengthens the festival's importance for packing guests into the hotels far beyond the period of the festival. John Lynch of the Jamaica Tourist Board remarks that the documentary presents an additional boost to the country's marketing initiatives.
"One Love presents the music and culture, the attractions and natural beauty that Jamaica offers and will, undoubtedly, stir the interest of viewers to come and experience Jamaica first hand," he said. "It provides tremendous exposure for the destination, and it is critical that we con-tinue to generate interest in the destination through innovative programmes."
The 2012 instalment of the much celebrated Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival - The Art of Music will once again take over The Greenfield Stadium, Trelawny, with three days of music and magic from January 26-28. This year's line-up includes Celine Dion, The Temptations, Kelly Rowland, Destra, Jully Black, and Nicole Henry.