Texas A&M wins first national title
Scoring at will, grabbing boards and making a key steal, Danielle Adams saved her best game for the biggest stage and gave Texas A&M its first national championship.
Adams scored 22 of her 30 points in a dominating second half and answered the Fighting Irish basket for basket Tuesday night to help the Aggies bring a title to the former all-male military academy with a thrilling 76-70 victory over Notre Dame.
"I knew they couldn't stop me inside so that's what I did, I took it inside," said Adams, who became the school's first All-American just a week ago.
DEITSCH: Championship game blog
No one was happier than Gary Blair, the outspoken A&M coach who hadn't been in the Final Four since 1998 when he was with Arkansas. Blair bluntly said it was a good thing that top powers like Connecticut, Tennessee and Stanford weren't in the title game.
"We don't give up," Blair said. "We might not play the prettiest game in the world but it's good for women's basketball to see a Texas A&M and a Notre Dame in this game."
And then his Aggies went out and proved him right in front of a pro-Irish crowd.
Tyra White added 18 points for A&M, including a huge 3-pointer as the shot clock buzzer sounded to put the Aggies up 73-68 with 1:07 left. She and her teammates then staved off a final, frantic push by the Fighting Irish and their sensational young star guard, Skylar Diggins.
The Aggies are a national championship newcomer and bullied their way through the tournament to get to the top. Like Notre Dame, they vanquished their conference rival on the way, beating Baylor in the Dallas regional final after losing to the Lady Bears three times during the season.
Adams, who struggled badly against Baylor, was up to the task and then some against Notre Dame, scoring the second-most points ever in a championship game (Sheryl Swoopes had 47 in 1993).
"We did not find an answer for her," Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw said. "We had a plan. We just weren't able to stop her. ... She's just a great player. She's got a big body and we couldn't get around her."
Both teams reached the championship by knocking off two No. 1 seeds. Notre Dame eliminated Tennessee in the regional final, then swept past Connecticut in Sunday night's national semifinals, the first time one team has taken down those two women's basketball icons in the same tournament.
A&M also had two impressive wins to get here. After beating Baylor, the Aggies edged Stanford on Sunday night.
It was the first title game without a No. 1 seed since 1994 and only the second overall. It also was the first final without either Connecticut or Tennessee since Maryland beat Duke in overtime for the 2006 championship.
And it turned out to be a good one.
After a back-and-forth first half, and with the Aggies trailing 48-43 early in the second half, Adams simply took over.
The 6-foot-1 center scored 10 of the next 13 points for the Aggies to give them a 56-53 lead midway through the second half. Texas A&M then extended the advantage to 64-57 behind the two Sydneys -- Carter and Colson.
But Notre Dame wouldn't give up, battling back behind Diggins and Devereaux Peters. The Irish scored nine of the next 11 points to tie the game at 66 on Diggins' jumper with 3:56 left.
Blair went right to Adams on the next two possessions and she delivered, hitting back-to-back layups. Adams hit nine of her first 10 shots in the second half.
After Peters' putback cut it to 70-68, White hit the huge 3. Diggins had two free throws with 40.7 seconds left, and the Irish had one last chance after a turnover by the Aggies with 29 seconds remaining.
McGraw called her final timeout, but Diggins turned it over in front of the bench. White hit two free throws to seal the win.
Diggins finished with 23 points and Peters added 21 and 11 rebounds for Notre Dame (31-8).
Diggins, fighting back tears, said the Irish couldn't handle A&M's pressure.
"We turned it over too much. I don't know if it was nerves or what," she said. "We just didn't handle the pressure."
Indeed, the night belonged to the Aggies.
It hasn't been easy changing attitudes at a university that began as an all-male military school. Some alumni opposed the decision to begin admitting women in 1963, and school administrators didn't always see the advantage of funding men's and women's sports equally when Title IX passed in 1972.
By 1994, A&M had earned its first NCAA tournament bid and immediately reached the regional semifinals, but the program's reputation remained stagnant until Blair arrived in 2003.
The man with the sharp tongue, quick wit and deep Southern drawl found himself at home recruiting Texas' best players, and teaming up with others in the athletic department to sell the school.
Winning the title Tuesday night will certainly help.
The Aggies (33-5) have been riding a relentless defense that didn't allow more than 50 points until Stanford scored 62 in the semifinals. Fortunately for the Aggies, a lay-up with 3.3 seconds left was enough to lift them over the top-seeded Cardinal.
Notre Dame was trying to win its first national championship since 2001. The Irish had an impressive tournament run led by Diggins. She led the Irish in their back-to-back victories over two Tennessee and Connecticut.
And with the Lady Vols and Huskies both gone -- only the fifth time since 1995 that neither was in the title game -- Diggins and the Irish tried to seize the moment and take out the Aggies.
But Diggins and Peters weren't enough in a matchup of No. 2 seeds.
This was the only the second time no top seed made the title game and the first since No. 3 seed North Carolina beat No. 4 Louisiana Tech in 1994.
The Irish were trying to become the first team to win in their home state since Stanford won in Los Angeles in 1992. There definitely was a home feel for Notre Dame with two-thirds of the 17,473 people in the arena wearing green and gold.
So much was made this season of UConn's record winning streak and their quest for a third straight national championship that would have cemented Maya Moore's place as the top women's player ever.
Diggins and the Irish ruined those plans in the semifinals, beating the Huskies for the first time in four meetings this season. They fell short of the ultimate prize Tuesday night.
Source: sportsillustrated.
Mariah, Nick Pose Nude for Intimate Pregnancy Photos
Parents-to-be Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon recently got buck naked for a photo shoot, but the final images are displayed only within the privacy of their own home.
Due to welcome twins within weeks, Mariah decided to commemorate her impending motherhood by posing naked in the same vein as Demi Moore’s iconic Vanity Fair shot in 1991.
Cannon says he wanted to get in on the act and joined his wife for the intimate images, which now decorate their Los Angeles mansion, but the actor admits he’s already dreading the day his kids are old enough to realize the naked shoot isn’t normal.
“My children are going to have to see these pictures… It’s a little weird,” he said today on his radio show. “When they get older and their friends come over… they will see the pictures and say, ‘Your daddy’s butt naked!’”
Hot 97′s Mister Cee Busted For Public Sex with Man
Monday wasn’t exactly a good day for Hot 97 DJ, Mister Cee (Calvin Lebrun). That’s because the news came out that he was busted last Wednesday for public lewdness when police found him receiving oral sex from another man in his car.
Yikes! That could be bad for his career.
Mister Cee, 44, was first exposed as Big Daddy Kane’s DJ and he went on to later executive produce “Ready to Die” Biggy’s first album.
Both the radio icon and his partner, 20-year-old Lawrence Campbell (pictured in mugshots) were arrested and charged, but later released and are due back to court in June.
Now that the cat is out of the bag, Mister Cee has received some interesting remarks via Twitter and other public forums, criticizing his sexual preference.
Black fans and Twitter users in particular have expressed some homosexual sentiments and some sympathetic remarks here and there.
He knew he was in for a Twitter-storm, so his first Tweet was:
“Time to clear my name NY. Stand Up Brooklyn they shootin (Haters ) this is my city you can’t hurt me lets gooooooooo.”
He also took the liberty of addressing the issue of a long rumored Hip Hop police squad targeting rappers and industry folks in the city.
Obama, Lawmakers Fail to Reach Budget Accord
U.S. President Barack Obama and Republican lawmakers failed to reach a 2011 budget agreement Tuesday, and the president said it would be “inexcusable” if the two sides cannot achieve a compromise.
Mr. Obama met at the White House with top congressional leaders in an effort to avert a shutdown of the U.S. government at the end of the week, if no budget agreement is reached. He said Democratic and Republican congressional leaders are closer than ever to reaching a deal that would fund the government through the end of the current fiscal year in September.
Late Tuesday, the top Republican in the House of Representatives, John Boehner, met with Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to try to craft a compromise that could win enough votes to be approved by Congress.
But there was no apparent breakthrough. An aide to Boehner said the two congressional leaders agreed to continue working on a budget solution.
Mr. Obama had said that if the two failed to reach a deal, he would summon them back to the White House on Wednesday for more discussions.
The U.S. government has been operating with a series of stopgap funding measures since last October. But the country's leaders have not been able to reach a pact on funding the remaining six months of the fiscal year. Mr. Obama said it “would be inexcusable for us” not to be able to finish “last year's business.”
If no deal is reached this week, government agencies will run out of funding after Friday, and many services deemed non-essential would be halted starting Saturday.
Mr. Obama said he is opposed to another stopgap spending extension, unless the lawmakers had reached essential agreement and needed a very short time to finish passage of the budget.
The president said an agreement is needed to avoid jeopardizing the country's economic recovery. Republicans say they do not want a shutdown, but that sharp spending cuts must be enacted to help cut the government's deficit.
The White House and congressional leaders have been trying to cut at least $33 billion from the $1 trillion-plus discretionary part of the U.S. government's budget.
But Tea Party supporters among the Republican majority in the House of Representatives have been seeking broader cuts of at least $61 billion. It is part of their effort to cut the size of the federal government, one of their campaign platforms when they were elected last November.
Boehner said Republican negotiators would continue to “fight for the largest (spending) cuts possible.”
Gunmen Release Remaining Hostages in Philippines
Philippine authorities say gunmen have freed 12 hostages kidnapped by gunmen demanding the release of fellow tribesmen jailed for a similar abduction two years ago.
The officials say the hostages were freed unharmed Wednesday. Four of the hostages had already been let go.
The gunmen had abducted two children and 14 school officials and teachers Friday afternoon as a graduation ceremony was ending in Agusan del Sur province on Mindanao island.
Government negotiators say the attackers were demanding police free Manobo tribal leader Ondo Perez and three other tribesmen. The four men had been jailed since a December 2009 incident in which several dozen villagers were taken hostage. Police say two of the leaders in Friday's attack are relatives of Perez.
Police say Perez helped negotiators resolve the standoff.
Last August, Philippine authorities were widely criticized for the botched attempt to rescue hostages held on a bus in Manila. Eight Hong Kong tourists and the gunman, a policeman who had been fired, died in the incident.
Libyan Rebels Flee Brega
Forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi pummeled rebel positions near the key eastern oil town of Brega Tuesday, forcing opposition fighters into their biggest retreat in several days of inconclusive battles.
Anti-government forces abandoned Brega and headed east toward Ajdabiya in the face of a sustained rocket and mortar bombardment by Mr. Gadhafi's well-armed troops. Both sides exchanged heavy fire on Tuesday, one day after rebels had taken over a residential part of the city.
The loyalist gains came as the head of Libya's opposition forces lashed out at the NATO alliance, saying it was failing in its mission to protect civilians.
Abdel Fattah Younes Tuesday accused NATO of indecision and lengthy delays in carrying out needed airstrikes while loyalist troops killed residents in the besieged western city of Misrata. He said when rebels request an airstrike, they can wait for up to 10 hours.
Younes said when the opposition asks to use its fighter jets to aid ground forces, NATO has denied permission. He said he may urge rebel leaders to take opposition grievances to the United Nations Security Council, which authorized force in Libya to stop government troops from harming civilians.
NATO officials say air power over Libya is undiminished but that Mr. Gadhafi has been using civilians as human shields and hiding his armor in populated areas.
Brigadier General Mark van Uhm, chief of allied operations, said NATO's operational tempo remains, but loyalist troops had changed tactics.
The general said that in Misrata, the alliance has “absolute confirmation” that tanks are being dispersed and humans used as shields “in order to prevent NATO sorties to identify and target those assets.”
Rebel officials disputed Van Uhm's claim that civilians are present in all areas where pro-Gadhafi forces are positioned.
NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu said Tuesday that “the pace of operations since NATO took over has not abated.” The alliance reported that coalition airstrikes have destroyed 30 percent of Libya's military while enforcing the U.N.-authorized no-fly zone aimed at protecting civilians.
U.S. envoy Chris Stevens met with members of the opposition Transitional National Council Tuesday in Benghazi to better understand who the rebels are and what they need. Qatar, France and Italy have already granted official recognition to the rebel administration.
Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts to end the conflict continue. Libyan envoy Abdul-Ati al-Obeidi ended a shuttle mission to Greece, Malta and Turkey after setting out Libya's official position. The government said Tuesday that Obeidi has been appointed to replace Moussa Koussa as foreign minister after the close Gadhafi ally defected to Britain.
Both rebel and Western leaders say they will not accept any deal that allows Mr. Gadhafi or his sons to stay in power.
That scenario became even more unlikely Tuesday when the International Criminal Court said it has evidence Mr. Gadhafi's government had developed plans to deliberately kill civilians even before the uprising in Libya broke out last month.
Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo, who is investigating Mr. Gadhafi, told the Reuters news agency that after the Tunisia and Egypt conflicts, “people in the regime were planning how to control demonstrations in Libya.” He called the shooting of civilians “predetermined.”
In a step toward securing more funds for opposition weapons and supplies, a tanker arrived Tuesday near the eastern port of Tobruk to load the first rebel oil shipment for export in nearly three weeks. The ship is capable of carrying 1 million barrels of oil.
The rebel leadership also apologized for Libya's role in the 1988 bombing of a jet over Lockerbie, Scotland, that killed 270 people, most of them Americans, and pledged to cooperate with all investigations. The council offered the apology on behalf of the Libyan people.
Commission Urges Brazil to Halt Dam in Amazon
The human rights arm of the Organization of American States is urging Brazil to halt work on a massive hydroelectric dam in the Amazon until the government deals with concerns of the region's residents.
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights made the request in a letter dated April 1. The commission calls on Brazil to immediately stop the licensing process for the Belo Monte dam project and take protective measures for the indigenous peoples who live in the area. The commission also calls on the government to give the groups access to environmental impact reports.
In Brasilia, the Foreign Ministry described the request as unjustified.
The $11-billion Belo Monte dam would require submerging at least 400 square kilometers of land. Builders would have to excavate land comparable to the work needed to build the Panama Canal.
Environmentalists and indigenous groups have said Belo Monte would devastate wildlife in the area. Opposition to the project also has come from British rock star Sting and American film director James Cameron.
Belo Monte would be the world's third-largest hydroelectric energy producer, behind China's Three Gorges Dam and the Itaipu Dam that straddles the border of Brazil and Paraguay.
Summary of 2011/12 Budget Statement
Today, the Permanent Secretary for Finance, Mr. Delton Jones & Caroline Gardiner from the Finance Ministry met with RTC news as they discussed the published the 2011/12 Budget Statement he would have delivered to the Consultative Forum. This summary statement has been prepared to help update the public on the changes set out in the Budget.
The UK Government-backed financial support package buys the time needed to tackle the dire financial situation the Interim Government inherited from the previous administration, which failed to protect taxpayers, invest in the future, or pay its creditors, damaging local businesses and the reputation of the islands. With the support of the UK, we are working hard to help TCI recover from this terrible legacy, to rebuild international confidence in the islands, to stimulate growth, and ensure that TCIG is able to meet its obligations once again.
The UK has also funded the costs of the SIPT and the civil recovery process, as well as police costs incurred to combat the spike in violent crime in the last financial year, providing an extra $10.5 million to TCIG for this purpose. The UK has now also provided a further one-off $3.2 million grant to support public service reform.
We know that this has been a difficult time for many in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The Territory has, like many countries, struggled as a result of the global economic downturn. So, the Government has worked to ensure that the impact of its proposed budget measures is spread as fairly as possible and forms the basis of a sustainable future for everyone, by:
protecting key services – such as police, criminal justice and immigration - so that people can live, visit and work in the Turks and Caicos Islands in safety. Our aim is to achieve a higher standard of public services for the future, through public sector reform and a focus on achieving better value for money for taxpayers.
continuing to support growth. Our new investment in an extended Providenciales International Airport has already attracted new flight operators and offers the prospect of increased competition for airspace and lower fares. We will also put in place measures to stimulate economic activity in under-developed sectors such asagriculture and fishing.
investing in achieving the milestones set out in last year’s Written Ministerial Statement so that a date for elections can be set.
But we cannot avoid the need to tackle the severe and structural fiscal problems we inherited from the previous administration. The UK support does not provide money to reverse previous spending cuts or fund significant new expenditure; instead it provides a one-off opportunity to take the fiscal measures needed to bring revenue and spending into line. We have no alternative other than to balance TCIG’s budget by raising revenues and cutting spending; like any household or business, the public sector cannot continue to live beyond its means. We know that this is a difficult message, but achieving this goal is not only essential to avoid the spectre of default; it will also have the benefit of providing a major boost to the economy by allowing payments to be made to local businesses and restoring confidence that the Turks and Caicos Islands are financially secure, and a good place for investment.
Raising revenue
The current revenue system does not work. We have consulted widely on new measures to modernise TCIG’s revenue system and close the budget gap. We have listened to public concerns, and we have ruled out introducing a property tax or an income tax. Instead, we will introduce Value Added Tax in 2013, such as has been successfully implemented by many of our Caribbean neighbours. A Turks and Caicos Islands VAT should deliver long-term improvements to the economy by removing current market distortions, increasing competitiveness, strengthening the investment climate, and increasing revenue.
In the meantime, we will raise revenue by:
Applying a 4% Customs Processing Fee (CPF) to all imported goods and importers with immediate effect.
Raising fees for business licenses by 35% from 1 April 2011. A new simplified structure will be introduced from 1 July 2011.
Raising fees for vehicle licenses and driver’s licenses by 50% from 1 May 2011.
Simplifying the work permit system and raising fees from 1 September 2011.
Applying a new sales tax of 10% on water for commercial customers and the largest residential customers from 1 September 2011; this will not affect most households.
In the case of electricity we will move to a carbon tax on electricity generators from 1 September 2011. This will encourage the generating companies to review their generating efficiency and mix of sources, including from renewable technologies, over time. This also has the advantage that it cannot be passed directly on to consumers.
A new bank tax of 10% will be levied on all non interest-bearing services provided by banks, and an insurance tax of 2.5% will be levied on premiums for general insurance, excluding life and health insurance. Both these will be introduced from 1 September 2011.
These new measures will broaden the tax base and will raise revenues to around $160 million in 2011/12, rising to $190 million by 2013/14. We will also need to modernise systems to collect all the money due to Government: it is not right that some people pay their fair share while others do not.
Controlling spending
The Interim Government needs to tackle the rapid growth in public expenditure of the last decade. Last year’s budget included a target to reduce the cost of the public service by 25% by 2013/14, and we need to continue to make progress towards that target if we are going to remove the spectre of default and keep the burden of taxation as low as practical. We aim to build a public service that is smaller and stronger, with high standards of public service and greater accountability to the people of TCI, with the right incentives for staff to do their jobs well and greater opportunities for fulfilling work
and career progression.
In the meantime we will apply employment rules properly so that all public servants are treated fairly, while generating savings to help reduce the need for cuts in the size of the public service. We recognize that some may have made plans based on past practice, so we will put in place transitional arrangements where possible so that public servants will have time to adjust. We are in discussion with the recently formed Civil Service
Association on a number of related issues as well as on the broader reform programme.
Key measures include:
Halting pensions overpayments. People wrongly receiving both government and NIB pensions in full will have the government pension reduced in line with current legislation. People who retire from the government will no longer be able to draw both a pension and a salary on being re-employed by government.
Subject to transitional protection for those nearing retirement age, who may have financial plans based on past practice, people employed by the government before 6 April 1992 will no longer be able to convert part of their government pension into a lump sum, and housing and other allowances will no longer be included in the calculation of government pensions, with some transitional arrangements.
In order to close the gap between the government retirement age and the age at which NIB pensions are payable, the government retirement age will increase from 55 to 60, with transitional protection for those who are already aged over 50.
The maximum allowed level of accumulated leave will be 30 days, with transitional arrangements for those affected. Contract workers will no longer be able to accumulate annual leave to be paid for upon completion of their contracts.
The 10% reduction in allowances other than housing, agreed last year, will be properly applied, and the arrangements for housing, transport and other allowances will be tightened to ensure greater consistency and transparency.
The government will not award salary increments in the new financial year.
A fundamental review of statutory bodies will be carried out and immediate measures put in place to monitor and manage their finances, cutting their costs by 25%.
Management of the scholarship program will be improved and erroneous payments to students will be stopped. We will replace the existing programme with a new scheme that will focus support on the brightest and best students who would otherwise be denied access to higher education.
There will be spending reviews of both utilities and communications, to ensure that we achieve best value for these services.
The Interim Government will undertake a wide-ranging review of procurement.
Over seven million dollars will be available for essential capital spending.
The actions of the previous administration mean that there is no alternative to these measures, which will be difficult to achieve. But they can be achieved, allowing us to look forward to a surplus in 2012/13, and a stronger, more sustainable future.
Consulative Forum members responds with their side of the story
Some members of the TCI Consultative Forum did not take lightly to the way in which press releases were issued about their actions as it relates to the budget presentation which should have been tabled today.
RTC news received the following from some members of the forum as stated:
First of all, we wish to register our disappointment in the manner in which the request by some members to defer the Budget Session from April 5th, 2011 until April 12, 2011 to allow more time to peruse the documents delivered between Friday, April 1st, 2011 and April 4th, 2011 was handled by Mrs Lillian Missick, Chairman of the Forum. Regrettably we have found ourselves placed in the unfortunate position of having to respond in the media. And though it is not our best position, we feel compelled to clarify a few points and to also avail ourselves of this opportunity to address a few issues raised by His Excellency the Governor in his response to Mrs Missick’s announcement of the cancellation of the Budget Debate.
For the benefit of the public, it is important to know that the Chair of the Forum is elected from among the members to chair Meetings of the Forum. Whilst Mrs Missick has been allowed to schedule meetings, we were not of the opinion that she was authorised to cancel meetings without first consulting the other members of the Forum. We were surprised at this Statement for that reason and also for the statements that we find to be misleading.
For your benefit we wish to present the time line and facts as it relates to the now cancelled Budget Debate. On Thursday 24th March, 2011, we were informed that there would be a closed session of the Forum on Tuesday, 28th March, 2011 to discuss the Budget. On the same day, two members inquired whether we would be able to obtain the Budget Booklet before, so that we may address any concerns during that meeting before Public Debate. We were advised the following day by the Forum’s Office that we would receive the Budget Booklets and all other documents during that meeting.
On Monday, 28th March, 2011, the PS Finance, Mr Delton Jones accompanied by the Chief Financial Officer arrived at the meeting and we were advised by the PS Finance that he had sent an email that said he was not going to be bringing the Budget Booklets but was going to be presenting a Summary of the Budget. Members including the Chair at this point expressed their dissatisfaction but proceeded. And to date we have not received that email. The PS Finance, Mr Delton Jones after a brief Introduction handed the members three sheets of papers (A full sheet with a table and two others with quarter page use) and proceed to present the Budget. Discussions ensued on revenue measures but members were scheduled to leave before the PS Finance, Mr Jones reached the Expenditure sections and three members were beneficiaries of explanations on Expenditure. Briefly into this Meeting, the CFO, Mrs Caroline Gardiner and the CEO Mr Mark Capes left and Mr Jones, PS Finance alone entertained discussions from his Summary Budget.
It is important for the public to know that last year, the entire Budget Team was present in a Pre Budget Debate Meeting and we were allowed to raise concerns and ask questions directly from Booklets that were sent to us in advance of that Meeting.
Over the next few days members expressed their concerns to the Forum’s Office and made frequent checks as to when the Books would become available. On the morning of Friday, 1st April, 2011, a member text messaged the Chair who was out of the country at the time. The member explained it was unfair for members to be asked to debate the Budget and at 10:33am was not in possession of the Booklets. The Chair’s response three minutes later stated that the meeting would be rescheduled.
The Government later that day sent out a Release and made reference to the Budget Address on Tuesday, April 5th, 2011. A member then inquired whether the meeting was still on schedule and was told it was so by the PS Finance.
The Chair sent an email Saturday saying that the meeting would proceed and that the PS Finance and his staff will be available to assist over the weekend and Monday. It was over the next few hours on Saturday that a deferral request of one week (April 12th, 2011) would be dismissed by the Chair on the basis that the PS Finance had made a Presentation on the Budget Summary and on his assurance that this is sufficient to proceed as this were the broad measures in the Budget.
We were of the opinion that the majority had agreed to proceed and were aware of colleagues who were ready and prepared to debate the Budget. Unfortunately for a few of us, we were not of the same mind. In fact an excerpt of an email from one of us read as follows – I agree that coming to the conclusion of the Budget process is an urgent matter, and it is not in the best interest of the country to prolong the process unnecessarily. The request to delay the Budget Presentation by a week does not seem to be unreasonable given the fact that we have an obligation to make educated, well informed decisions on what we are required to participate in and agree to on behalf of the majority. It is true that we have been presented with snap shots of what the Budget is likely to focus on but based on my years of participation in the Budget process with others who are a part of the Forum, the experiences were that many of the conflicts and inconsistencies were in the details rather than broad headings as presented by the PS/Finance. The practice to scrutinize the details then and more so now, is an important step. We might not be regarded as key decision making officials in the process of governance nonetheless we must endeavor at all times to do justice to the tasks that we are required to sanction. The time allotted to scrutinize the materials received by some just before noon on Friday the 1st. April and by others later, is not reasonable. If, however, the majority is comfortable to approve or disapprove the submissions by Tuesday, then the majority rules. Finance is not my forte and I am inclined to know the details for an exercise of this; moreover, what we do will impact the entire nation - legal and illegal. Should we proceed with a Tuesday meeting, I respectfully request that my absence be excused.
It was of that mind, that six members over the next two days will offer their apologies for not attending and as it would have required a majority to deny a postpone of the Meeting to April 12, 2011, we believe that the majority agreed to proceed. We are not convinced that there would not have been a quorum even though an additional member declined to attend as well having received his documents only 1 O’clock on Monday, yesterday, April 4th, 2011. Surprised at the decision to proceed with the Meeting, we reconciled to the fact that there were sufficient other members who would carry the passage and who were prepared to proceed and debate the Budget.
We therefore refute the following that was included in Mrs Missick Statement:
-
We do not believe that about four hours of a discussion on a Summary Sheet with the PS Finance can be considered extensive. We can only assume that the other meeting mentioned by Mrs Missick was the one held on March 8th, 2011 where the Forum met the CFO Mrs Gardiner for the first time and who presented a high level Summary of the Findings of the EU Revenue Consultants and who further advised on the tax initiatives to be implemented effective April 1st, 2011 which we accepted as a foregone conclusion having already received extensive coverage in the media concerning its implementation. The Presentation was a Power Point Presentation and we did not receive a copy of this Presentation nor any documents.
-
That the Budget Session was already postponed for our benefit. We knew nothing of this until yesterday’s Release by Mrs Missick and His Excellency The Governor. And we say if in fact the Budget was postponed, it was because the Booklets were not ready and media houses have covered Advisory Council Press Briefings which until a few days ago, there was an admission of work still being carried out on the Budget.
We also refute the allegation that members evaded service so as to sabotage the Budget Meeting, a statement made by a Senior member of the Budget Team. We are committed to the process of moving these Islands forward and towards the accomplishment of the milestones set out.
We are disappointed that our decision, individually made, has now been cited as the reason to not debate the Budget publicly when other members were fully prepared to proceed. We are seriously concerned that the milestones to be accomplished are so tightly timetabled that an offset of a week can affect the election date and negatively impact its achievement.
Whilst we are not privy to the intimate running of the Government, we believe if the revenue measures were to be affected by one week, it should have been communicated to us (and not the media simultaneously with us) and we are also of the view that more aggressive steps should have been taken to settle the figures in time so as to meet the Forum’s Rules of Notice and reasonable service of documents. There was no dialogue with us in this regard and our first response after our emails was sent to what appeared in the Media.
Though unelected, we take our role seriously and felt it a disservice to the people of these Islands if we were to proceed unprepared. Our individual stance was based on our collective feeling to abandon actions of the past and to change the way the people’s business is being done. We have committed ourselves to openness and transparency and responsible and informed representation on the issues.
We have agreed this Press Release so that we can settle this issue collectively. We see this not as an “us” versus “them” and neither are we a renegade clique. We do believe that Rules are in place for a reason and that transparency, preparedness and openness must be the watch words and order of the day. We look forward to proceeding in the manner set out in the Forum’s Rules and in an open and transparent manner. We continue to be committed to serving in this Forum and keeping the people informed as soon as we are.
It is again regrettable that the PS Finance declined to make the Address for such an important life changing Budget and also that the Forum’s Chair once again has cancelled an important meeting without the input of all members. This has been an eye opening experience and causes us grave concern but we are prepared to carry on the work of the Forum as long as we can and are able.
Dr Linda Williams
Sharlene Cartwright Robinson
Karen Delancy
Ethlyn Gibbs – Williams
Drexwell Seymour
Pastor Courtney Missick
The order in which we decline to attend April 5, 2011 meeting as a result of it not being postponed to April 12th 2011
COLLISION VICTIMS STABLE
TWO male Turks and Caicos Islanders are in a stable condition following a road traffic collision at the weekend.
The injured men were rushed to the Emergency Department at Cheshire Hall Medical Centre by ambulance after the incident, which occurred just before 6pm on Saturday (April 2) at the Leeward end of the highway in Provo.
One of the victims, aged 40, suffered a fractured femur and dislocated ankle and underwent surgery that night.
The second man suffered a fractured scapula (shoulder blade) and a minor dislocation, which did not require surgery.
Both patients are stable and comfortable on the general ward at Cheshire Hall Medical Centre.