SIPT Updates Public
The SIPT have received a number of questions from the media concerning progress, funding and activities; The SIPT has been fully operational now for 14 months and has had a permanent presence on the island since April 2010. The SIPT are very aware that the public want to know more about their activities, but the investigation has entered a phase where its activities within the TCI and elsewhere in the world have to be kept confidential, to protect the integrity of the investigation and the rights of those individuals involved.
The SIPT continue to make good progress and are keeping to their targets and deadlines. This has been achieved with the help, support and cooperation of the TCI communities throughout the difficult period that they find themselves in.
SIPT investigators have interviewed a large number of persons across the islands, including former Ministers and in other foreign jurisdictions in the US, Canada and Europe. We are working jointly with other law enforcement bodies in these areas to pursue information and evidence pertinent to the SIPT mandate. A considerable number of statements have been obtained which cover the wide range of investigations that the SIPT have been asked to carry out. Arrests have been made and search warrants executed.
1. Budgeting – The SIPT submitted a budget in September 2009 which was approved. There was no increase in budget for the financial year 2010-11 and none planned for this financial year (2011-12). Despite the remit of the SIPT widening considerably during the 2010-11 financial year, the SIPT have ended that period under spent by over 12.5%. The SIPT are ever conscious about the cost of the investigations and seek every opportunity to reduce costs where possible. The challenge continues, to provide value for money for the TCIG and to continue to ensure financial prudence across all areas.
2. Veranda Accommodation – The move to the Veranda for the SIPT achieved a saving of over 25% on the previous accommodation costs and allow for more accommodation at a lower cost. All SIPT staff share self-catering accommodation on island.
3. Staffing - Numbers of staff on Island vary depending on the requirements of the investigations, however there are normally between 15 and 25 staff on island at any one time. All SIPT staff are selected independently and have no direct or indirect link to any member of the TCI Government or Interim Administration, now or in the past
PNP leader to hold press conference
In preparation for his trip to the UK to represent the Turks and Caicos Islands people at the UK-initiated constitutional talks, the Leader of the Progressive National Party has invited all members of the press to an official press conference to be held at the PNP Headquarters, at Progress House, Airport Road Providenciales at 11 am this morning, Thursday, June 9.
The PNP Leader Mr. Clayton Greene will address pertinent issues as it relates to the TCI Economy and outline his views for constitutional reform in the TCI and has invited media personnel not only to attend, but to feel free to attend with an abundance of questions.
Following the press conference, Mr. Greene will be accepting request for post UK discussion exclusive interviews. The press in attendance will also be given preference for private interviews after the UK trip.
The PNP says it values the presence of the press and promotes a free and fair press corp in the TCI.
THE REGENT SPA SELECTED IN TOP 25 SPAS IN THE REGION BY CONDE NAST TRAVELER
Another one of Turks and Caicos’ luxury resorts has done the country proud by being recognised globally by millions of travel enthusiasts. The Regent Spa, located at The Regent Palms Turks and Caicos was voted as having the second best spa in the Atlantic and Caribbean in the June special Travel and Health issue of Conde Nast Traveler magazine.
The Regent Spa was selected by readers for its unique spa treatments and exceptional spa facility, giving the Spa a perfect score of 100 in each area. The June issue of the Conde Nast magazine also highlighted the Spa’s ingenious use of hand crushed local conch shells to create a 30 minute Mother of Pearl Body Exfoliation Treatment.
Sara Codner, The Spa Development Manager, who expressed delight at the recent accolade stated, “Our Spa is often described as being its own little destination within the Turks and Caicos. Its signature treatments like Little Drops of Caribbean Rain, Moonlight and Stars and Zareeba are unique and are tailored to each individual who experiences them. The entire team at The Regent Palms is delighted to have been recognised in such an internationally read travel publication. We aim to continuously over exceed in the name of service and excellence and although our Spa is just one of our luxurious amenities, it has a great impact on the overall guest experience.“
Codner also added, “We have created an oasis where people fantasise and dream of coming to and for that we are proud! Keep your ears and eyes open for much more about our extraordinary, environmentally friend spa…. A place where dreams happen!”
Also available at The Regent Spa are its two new treatments, Osteopathy and Four Hands Massage.
Harris and Joseph remanded in custody
The Royal Turks & Caicos Islands Police in Providenciales have charged two male subjects for two (2) robberies against individuals on the Leeward Highway which occurred on June 1st, 2011. Jimmy Harris and Stephen Joseph have appeared in the Providenciales Magistrate’s Court and have been remanded in custody at Her Majesty Prison Grand Turk until the 5th of August 2011 when they will appear in the Supreme Court Grand Turk for a Sufficiency Hearing.
The Royal Turks & Caicos Islands Police in Providenciales have charged Alexander Duncanson for a Burglary at a business in Kew Town and Robbery at a business on the Leeward Highway in connection with reports made on 7th of May and 31st of May 2011. Duncanson has appeared in the Providenciales Magistrate’s Court and has been remanded in custody at Her Majesty Prison Grand Turk, until the 5th of August 2011 at which time he will appear in the Supreme Court Grand Turk for a Sufficiency Hearing.
Mavericks overcome James' triple-double, lead 3-2
Dirk Nowitzki thrust both arms in the air, a sea of blue screaming around him and the Dallas Mavericks finally ahead in these ultra-close NBA finals.
Now it really is "now or never" for LeBron James and the Miami Heat .
Nowitzki scored 29 points, driving for the go-ahead dunk with 2:45 remaining, and the Mavericks beat the Heat 112-103 on Thursday night to take a 3-2 lead in the NBA finals.
Five years after going up 2-0 on the Heat, the Mavs finally got that elusive third victory, and can wrap up their first championship in Game 6 at Miami on Sunday night.
"We're a very resilient team, you know that," guard Jason Terry said. "We've been in tough battles all playoffs long. It's not going to stop. It's going to get even harder. But we're ready. We're determined, and this is our time."
James, who called this game "now or never," responded from his worst playoff performance with 17 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, and Dwyane Wade battled through a sore left hip after a first-quarter collision to finish with 23 points.
Chris Bosh had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Heat, who get the final two games at home with history against them as they try to win a title in their first season together: In the 26 previous times finals that were tied 2-2, the Game 5 winner won 19 of them.
The Mavs shot 60 percent through three quarters, briefly gave up the lead in the fourth, then controlled the final few minutes, just as they had in thrilling comebacks in Games 2 and 4.
This time, they got to play from ahead thanks to some sizzling shooting: 56.5 percent from the field, including 13 of 19 (68 percent) from 3-point range.
"We made more shots," Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said. "We did a lot of good things defensively, which led to good offense. ... You never know when the games are going to go that way. The thing we've got to do is we've got to make sure our defense is consistent."
Terry scored 21 points and J.J. Barea had 17 for the Mavs, who insisted at some point their shots would start falling even against the Heat's stingy defense. Jason Kidd and Tyson Chandler both finished with 13 points.
"I felt great. I felt great. I was in rhythm tonight," Terry said. "I came out aggressive, something we have to continue to do. We're not happy with our defensive performance, but offensively, if we score 100, I told you what would happen."
Their offense was simply too good, despite a good bounceback for James.
James scored eight points, going just 3 of 11 in Game 4, the first time in 90 postseason games he didn't hit double figures. It's been a rough first finals in Miami for James, who has been accused of everything from "shrinking" to "checking out" in the fourth quarters, when he had just nine points through the first four games.
Trying to pump himself up, James wrote "Now or Never!!" on his Twitter page early Thursday morning, later calling this the biggest game of his career.
But they feel the same urgency in Dallas, where the slogan "The Time is Now" is printed on those blue T-shirts that surround the court, and where the Mavs are loaded with 30-somethings - late 30s, in Kidd's case - who could be on their last shot at an NBA title.
Nowitzki said early Thursday he felt "great," having shaken the fever that rose to 101 degrees Monday night. This time, the health concern was Wade, who banged his hip in the first quarter and appeared to be limping at various points from there.
He remained in the locker room to start the second half, coming back onto the floor about the midway point of the period. By then, the Mavs seemed in too good a groove to be cooled off no matter who Miami had out there.
A disgusted Heat coach Erik Spoelstra was already walking onto the court to call time out by the time Chandler went up to dunk after catching the ball all alone under the basket, giving Dallas a nine-point lead that matched its largest of the series. Miami trimmed it to 84-79 after three quarters, then stormed into the lead midway through the fourth with a 9-0 run, all layups, dunks and free throws until Wade's 3-pointer made it 99-95 with 4:38 to play.
The Mavs tied it at 100 on Terry's 3-pointer with 3:23 left, and after James missed, Nowitzki drove for a baseline dunk and a 102-100 lead with 2:45 to go. James was called for an offensive foul and missed a 3-pointer on Miami's next two possessions before Kidd drilled a 3-pointer to make it 105-100, sending the crowd into a delirious chant of "Beat the Heat! Beat the Heat!"
The teams were at the same point as their 2006 matchup after four games, but that one was already in the midst of a massive swing by then. Miami won the final four games behind Wade, the MVP of that series who had been Miami's best player in this one, averaging 29.8 points.
This one has been the developing into one of the closest finals the NBA has ever seen. There hadn't been three straight games decided by three points or fewer in the championship round since 1948, according to STATS, LLC, when the Baltimore Bullets and Philadelphia Warriors played Games 2-4 within a three-point margin during the Basketball Association of America finals, a year before that league merged with the National Basketball League to become the NBA.
The first four games were determined by 15 total points, the fewest since a 12-game difference between the Celtics and Lakers in the 1969 finals.
And all eyes were on James, just as they have been since he bolted Cleveland for a better shot at a championship in Miami.
He vowed to be more aggressive after his puzzling Game 4. He caught the ball in the post more frequently, but his jumper was still off for much of the game.
James threw up an airball with his left hand on his first shot, and when he did finally score, the Mavs quickly came back with six straight points for an early 13-6 lead, a promising start for a team that had been playing from behind nearly all series.
Wade walked gingerly to the locker room with a left hip contusion with about 3 minutes left in the period after colliding with Mavs reserve Brian Cardinal on a drive to the basket, and didn't return to the bench until more than 3 minutes into the second. But the Heat hung in while he was gone, even taking a 31-30 lead when the Mavs turned it over on their final possession and Mario Chalmers threw in a heave from just inside midcourt to beat the buzzer, nearly a duplicate of the finish of the first quarter in Game 3 that stunned Dallas.
James had a basket inside that gave Miami a six-point lead with 4:26 left in the half, but Dallas closed with a 14-5 push, taking a 60-57 edge to the locker room after Nowitzki's jumper with 6.1 seconds remaining. The Mavs shot 12 of 17 in the quarter, and after not reaching 30 points in any period through four games, hit that number in each of the first two quarters of Game 5.
The Mavs again played without backup center Brendan Haywood because of a hip injury.
Nicki Minaj set for Reggae Sumfest
Popular United States artiste Nicki Minaj will be performing in Jamaica for this year's Reggae Sumfest on July 21-23.
Minaj will be performing alongside a dynamic group of local and international acts including Beenie Man, Jah Cure, Tanya Stephens and I-Octane.
The event, dubbed the greatest show on earth, kicks off with a beach party on July 17 and promises a bigger, better experience for patrons. The line-up is a major pulling factor for the thousands who are expected to descend on to Catherine Hall for the festival.
Onika Maraj, aka Nicki Minaj, has been confirmed to perform at this year's Reggae Sumfest, and the rapper, singer-songwriter has promised to deliver her best set. Minaj, who is currently at the top of the rap game globally, will be one of the headline acts on International Night 2 and head honcho of Summerfest Productions, the organisers of the event, Johnny Gourzong, could not contain his excitement of having her on the bill.
"Last year we had a tremendous festival with great Jamaican and international acts. This time around patrons will again be treated to amazing performances with the likes of Mavado, I-Octane, Beenie Man, Jah Cure and so many other great artistes," he stated in a release.
He further said; "Nicki Minaj, one of the hottest acts in the world right now, will also be treating her multitude of fans to a scintillating performance."
Flo Rida Released on Bail; Allowed to Attend Bangkok Gig
Rapper Flo Rida, arrested in Miami Beach this morning after cops caught him swerving his car, was charged with driving under the influence as well as driving with a suspended license after failing to pay a traffic ticket.
He was later released on $2,000 bail and a judge signed an order allowing him to fly Thursday night to Bangkok, Thailand, to perform several concerts, said his lawyer Christopher Lyons. The order requires Flo Rida to return June 16.
As reported earlier, an arrest report stated officers spotted his 2008 Bugatti driving erratically about 3:45 a.m. The report said the rapper, whose real name is Tramar Dillard, failed a field sobriety test, blew twice the legal limit on a device to measure his blood-alcohol level, had bloodshot, watery eyes, and slurred his speech.
After his second attempt at trying to walk a straight line the rapper said, “Officers, I can’t do this. I don’t feel I can walk a straight line. I had a few drinks. Let’s try another test. I live on the other side of the bridge. I can make it home,” according to the Miami Beach Police.
Kim Kardashian Threatens to Sue NFL Player Over Affair Claims
Kim Kardashian has reportedly sent NFL player Bret Lockett a letter demanding that he retract allegations that they had an affair, and refrain from making any new such claims – or else a lawsuit will be filed.
Bret Lockett of the New England Patriots went on TMZ Live Wednesday and insisted he did indeed have an online and physical relationship with Kim this year, at the same time she was dating now-fiance Kris Humphries.
In the letter, Kim’s lawyer, Michael Kump, says, “To put it very plainly and clearly, and as Mr. Lockett knows, there is not now, and never has been such a relationship,” adding, “Ms. Kardashian does not know and has never even met Mr. Lockett.”
Lockett told TMZ he has physical evidence proving the relationship, but he would not provide specifics.
David Arquette Tossed From Prince Concert for Taking Photos
Actor David Arquette was booted from one of Prince’s Los Angeles-area concerts after doing something lots of concert-goers choose to do on the sneak tip at Prince’s shows – take pictures.
While most artists don’t trip over photos or videos taken of them from the crowd, Prince is notoriously against such activity, and security at the Forum says it warns every audience member upon entry that photos and videos are officially prohibited.
Arquette claims he wasn’t aware of the rule.
“Security came to take this kid away and they said, ‘You gotta get rid of all those pictures on your phone,’” Arquette told Spinner. “I said, ‘Prince just said we could take the pictures.’ And so I got kicked out of the Prince show.”
The security guard told Arquette he was enforcing Prince’s “no photo” rule, which the Forum security office said came “straight from the artist.” An argument ensued, and Arquette was bounced from the arena.
“We gave everyone fair warning when they entered,” a security official who did not want to be named told the Hollywood Reporter today.
Prince, of course, is not done playing for fans in the L.A. area. He may be finished with his run of gigs at the Forum, but he performed a number of shows last month at smaller venues such as The Troubadour and more shows around L.A. may take place this month.
Ja Rule To Begin Prison Term Today; Rapper Speaks On Sentence
Rap star Ja Rule spent his last full night of freedom in the recording studio yesterday evening (June 7th).
Ja, who's working on his upcoming album Pain is Love 2, is scheduled to surrender to police today (June 8th) to begin a prison stretch for attempted possession of a weapon.
Today (June 8th), the rapper will begin a 2 1/2 year prison sentence for possession of a gun, after a show in New York City in July of 2007.
"I'll be in jail making it pop," a somber Ja Rule said. "Lifting weights, playing some basketball, ping pong, s**t jail ni**as do. I'ma have to change my whole motherf**kin swag," Ja Rule said." I'ma have to be like the ill motherf**kin ping pong ni**a in jail."
In the video clip Ja Rule thanks his family friends and fans for their continued support.
"Much love to the fans, I love y'all for holding me down throughout the years," Ja Rule said.
The rapper is also working on a new album that will be released post-prison, titled F**k Fame.