JOINT STATEMENT FROM THE PREMIER, HON. CHARLES WASHINGTON MISICK, THE LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION, HON. EDWIN A ASTWOOD AND UK DELEGATION LEAD, ADAM PILE OBE.
This week a Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) bipartisan delegation held talks with a delegation from the UK on reform of the Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution.
The Hon. Premier and the Hon. Leader of the Opposition led the TCI delegation, which included the Deputy Premier, Hon. Erwin J. Saunders, the Attorney-General, Hon. Rhondalee Braithwaite-Knowles OBE, KC, Elected Member, Hon. Akierra M.D. Missick, Opposition Appointed Member, Hon. Alvin K. Garland, Former Premier, Hon. Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson, Hon. Ariel Misick, KC, Sir Jeffrey Jowell KCMG KC and Mr Allan Wood, KC. The UK Delegation was comprised of a team of senior British officials led by the Deputy Director for the Overseas Territories, Adam Pile OBE. Her Excellency the Governor, Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam and Her Excellency the Deputy Governor, Anya Williams MBE were also in attendance at the talks.
The talks were open, honest, and productive, reaching agreement on many of the reforms and agreeing to take forward other reforms to the next stage. The delegates agreed to take forward the proposals, informed by a cross-party group in order to enhance local democracy and ensure the TCI has a modern constitutional framework for the challenge and opportunities ahead.
The Hon. Premier noted: “Over the course of the last eight years, there has been notable progress made towards advancing the TCI Constitution. It is with great pleasure that I acknowledge the strides we have taken towards achieving long-term goals and bringing us closer to full democratic management of the TCI.”
The Hon. Leader of the Opposition noted: “It was with great obligation to the people of the Turks and Caicos that my team and I took part in this Constitution reform exercise. Though much more work is needed to achieve the ideal constitution for our people of the Turks and Caicos Islands, I am grateful for the advancements that have been achieved thus far coming out of this round of discussions. I am looking forward to seeing these recommendations from our people being inscribed in our country’s constitution.”
Adam Pile OBE, Deputy Director (FCDO) noted: “The UK welcomes the cross-party work in the TCI on constitutional reform, and will work to progress the proposals in good faith and at pace, recognising the advances made in good governance since 2012. Any changes to the constitution need to help deliver stability, prosperity and enhance modern democratic government”.
The two delegations agreed to consider the points raised during the talks and the press ahead with a further round of talks soon. As part of the talks, the delegations met with the TCI Youth Parliament and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.
TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS WEATHER FOR THE NEXT THREE DAYS FROM WEDNESDAY 18 OCTOBER 2023
GENERAL SITUATION: A STATIONARY FRONT IN THE VICINITY OF THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS CONTINUES TO GENERATE SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY ACROSS THE AREA.
SPECIAL WARNINGS: RESIDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REMAIN HYDRATED AND AVOID LIMITED EXTENDED PERIODS OUTDOORS DUE TO TRIPLE-DIGIT HEAT INDICES.
ALL AREAS
WEATHER: PARTLY CLOUDY WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS POSSIBLE IN THE AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EVENING.
ADVISORY: HEAT ADVISORY ISSUED. A HEAT ADVISORY IS ISSUED WHEN THE HEAT INDEX REACHES 105 DEGREES.
WINDS: EAST TO SOUTHEAST AT 5 TO 10 KNOTS, INCREASING TO 10 TO 15 KNOTS TONIGHT
SEAS: 3 FEET OR LESS, BUILDING UP TO 2 TO 4 FEET TONIGHT
DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURE 90°F 32°C HEAT INDEX 105°F 41°C
OVERNIGHT LOW TEMPERATURE 81°F 27°C
SUNSET: 6:22 PM
NEXT LOW TIDE: 5:04 PM (1.0 FT)
NEXT HIGH TIDE: 10:38 PM (2.0 FT)
EXTENDED FORECAST FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS: THE STATIONARY FRONT WILL REMAIN IN PLACE BEFORE DISSIPATING ON THURSDAY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD OVER THE AREA IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT.
FORECAST FOR THURSDAY
WEATHER: PARTLY TO MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH CHANCE OF ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS. CHANCE OF RAIN IS 40%.
WINDS: EAST TO SOUTHEAST AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS
SEAS: 2 TO 4 FEET
SUNRISE: 6:46 AM
SUNSET: 6:21 PM
LOW TIDE: 4:47 AM (0.7 FT) 5:55 PM (1.0 FT)
HIGH TIDE: 11:26 AM (3.0 FT) 10:38 PM (2.0 FT)
FORECAST FOR FRIDAY
WEATHER: PARTLY TO MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. CHANCE OF RAIN IS 20%.
WINDS: SOUTHEAST TO SOUTH AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS, SHIFTING SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST AT 5 TO 10 KNOTS AT NIGHT
SEAS: 2 TO 4 FEET
SUNRISE: 6:46 AM
SUNSET: 6:20 PM
LOW TIDE: 5:36 AM (0.7 FT) 6:51 PM (1.0 FT)
HIGH TIDE:
TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK:
CHANCE OF FORMATION THROUGH 7 DAYS…HIGH…80 PERCENT
Sentencing terms distributed in SIPT Trial of Hall and Greene
Last week Chief Justice Mabel Agyemang would have delivered the verdict in the SIPT trial for Former Deputy Premier Floyd Hall and Former Speaker of the House Clayton Greene, with a guilty verdict.
Yesterday Thursday, October 12th, 2023 was sentencing.
FORMER DEPUTY PREMIER FLOYD HALL WAS GIVEN ONE YEAR PRISON SENTENCE FOR BRIBERY.
FORMER SPEAKER CLAYTON GREENE was SENTENCED to SIX MONTHS IN JAIL FOR MONEY LAUNDERING THE CHARGE OF CONCEALING PROCEEDS OF CRIME. However, Greene was given bail. If Greene cannot commit to the terms of the confiscation order then he will have to serve 6 months in prison.
FORMER DEPUTY PREMIER FLOYD HALL REMANDED IN CUSTODY UNTIL MONDAY
Former Premier Floyd Hall will be remanded in custody until a bail hearing on Monday, October 16th, 2023, by Chief Justice Mabel Agyemang.
In the meantime, the Chief Justice ordered that the sum of just over $ 1 million be confiscated from Hall, including his $870,000 parliamentary pension which was frozen, and $150,000 from a recent real estate sale.
The balance of $134,582.33 is needed and is being addressed in court by Hall’s lawyer Earl Witter, KC, and lead prosecutor King’s Counsel Andrew Mitchell.
St. Lucia PM looking to Canada to help region deal with issues of Climate Change
Prime Minister Phillip J Pierre Friday said he expects next week’s Caribbean Community (CARICOM)-Canada summit to further enhance the region’s efforts to get the international community to honor their commitments to assist small island developing states (SIDS) deal with the impact of climate change.
Speaking at a news conference at the Hewanorra International Airport as he prepared to attend the October 17-19 summit in Ottawa, Pierre told reporters that he and his CARCOM colleagues would be looking to the North American country to put forward their case on the issue.
“In terms of climate resilience, we know that the world will not meet the 1.5 degrees Celsius in terms of global warming. There are serious issues as it relates to that. We have seen the devastating effects of floods, droughts, earthquakes etc,
“Canada is committed to assisting us in this regard. But having said so, the rest of the international world has not met its commitment of the US$100 billion that they promised to give the developing world in terms of climate resilience…or even climate mitigation.
“So hopefully, we think that our traditional friends, like Canada, can help stir that level of interest, can help to say to the international world, listen, you are the ones causing the problems…and the science has proved that he developed world are the biggest emitters that cause issues related to climate change.
“So what we hope to get from this summit is …hopefully our issues can be promoted through to the international world,” Pierre told reporters.
He said in terms of finance, a look at the debt profile of the region and of St. Lucia in particular, “ you will find we have had to borrow the most after a hurricane.
“There are some countries like Dominica, 97 percent of their GDP (gross domestic product) was written off by a hurricane. So we are saying you cannot treat us the same way you treat countries as far as development financing is concerned.
“So we are looking for special and differential treatment. We are looking for loss and damage clauses as far as our borrowing is concerned,” he said, adding “there is a discussion going on that most of our debts should be actually written off, but it is difficult.
“So there are different things on the table. There is the Bridgetown Accord that says we have to look for financing that is of a longer term. There is also an accord that says we have to measure our resilience so that we cannot deal with a loan in terms that you can’t measure your resilience to climate shocks. So these are the discussions we intend to have,” Pierre said.
During the news conference, Pierre defended the decision of his administration to renew a diplomatic relationship with Venezuela which he visited last weekend.
He said during his talks with President Nicolas Maduro, the issue of the border dispute between Caracas and Guyana was raised, and “the issue came up that the Caribbean must be a zone of peace.
“We urge dialogue between Venezuela and Guyana, which should be facilitated by CARICOM because they are two countries in our region, they are two countries within our sphere, Guyana is a member of CARICOM, so we are saying let’s not quarrel, let's discuss our issues amicably.
“In fact, I was asked by President Maduro to have a discussion with President (Irfaan) Ali on that situation. So together with CARICOM, we will be having that discussion,” Pierre added.
Guyana has instituted proceedings against Venezuela by Application to the International Court of Justice )ICJ) on March 29, 2018, asking the Court to resolve the controversy that has arisen as a result of Venezuela’s contention, formally asserted for the first time in 1962, that the 1899 Arbitral Award Regarding the Boundary between the Colony of British Guiana and the United States of Venezuela is “null and void”.
Source-CMC
3-DAY PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST
GENERAL SITUATION: A SURFACE RIDGE EXTENDS ACROSS THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS CAUSING FAIR WEATHER CONDITIONS ACROSS THE ISLANDS TODAY.
SPECIAL WARNINGS: RESIDENTS ARE URGED TO REMAIN HYDRATED AND LIMIT EXTENDED PERIODS OUTDOORS DUE TO TRIPLE-DIGIT HEAT INDICES.
ALL AREAS
WEATHER: PARTLY CLOUDY AND HOT…MOSTLY FAIR TONIGHT
ADVISORY: HEAT ADVISORY ISSUED. A HEAT ADVISORY IS ISSUED WHEN THE HEAT INDEX REACHES 105 DEGREES.
WINDS: LIGHT AND VARIABLE, LESS THAN 10 KNOTS
SEAS: 3 FEET OR LESS
DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURE 91°F 33°C HEAT INDEX 105°F 41°C
OVERNIGHT LOW TEMPERATURE 81°F 27°C
SUNSET: 6:26 PM
NEXT LOW TIDE: 1:24 PM (1.0 FT)
NEXT HIGH TIDE: 7:28 PM
EXTENDED FORECAST FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS: SURFACE RIDGING WILL PERSIST ACROSS THE AREA AND WILL GENERATE GENTLE WINDS WITH LITTLE TO NO PRECIPITATION OVER THE WEEKEND.
FORECAST FOR SATURDAY
WEATHER: PARTLY CLOUDY AND HOT…PARTLY CLOUDY WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS POSSIBLE AT NIGHT
WINDS: LIGHT AND VARIABLE, LESS THAN 10 KNOTS
SEAS: 3 FEET OR LESS
SUNRISE: 6:44 AM
SUNSET: 6:25 PM
LOW TIDE: 1:37 AM (1.0 FT) 2:07 PM (1.0 FT)
HIGH TIDE: 7:51 AM (2.6 FT) 8:04 PM (2.3 FT)
FORECAST FOR SUNDAY
WEATHER: PARTLY CLOUDY WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS POSSIBLE DURING THE DAY
WINDS: LIGHT AND VARIABLE, LESS THAN 10 KNOTS
SEAS: 3 FEET OR LESS
SUNRISE: 6:44 AM
SUNSET: 6:24 PM
LOW TIDE: 2:10 AM (0.7 FT) 2:49 PM (1.0 FT)
HIGH TIDE: 8:29 AM (2.6 FT) 8:40 PM (2.3 FT)
TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK: TROPICAL STORM SEAN IS LOCATED OVER THE CENTRAL TROPICAL ATLANTIC AND IS LIKELY TO BECOME A POST-TROPICAL REMNANT LOW OVER THE WEEKEND.
- EASTERN TROPICAL ATLANTIC: A BROAD AREA OF LOW PRESSURE LOCATED SEVERAL HUNDRED MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF THE CABO VERDE ISLANDS IS LIKELY TO FORM DURING THE EARLY TO MIDDLE PORTION OF NEXT WEEK AS IT MOVES ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND WESTERN TROPICAL ATLANTIC. CHANCE OF FORMATION THROUGH 7 DAYS…HIGH…70 PERCENT.
All systems go for regional 50-over campaign
Cricket West Indies said Thursday all finishing touches were in place for the Regional Super50 Cup which bowls off next week in Trinidad.
Organizers announced seven of the eight teams participating in the October 17 to November 11, with only Combined Campuses and Colleges still outstanding.
The Super50 Cup gets underway on Tuesday at Queen’s Park Oval when hosts Trinidad and Tobago Red Force take on CCC.
“The countdown is on to the first ball of this year’s CG United Super50 Cup and we are delighted to announce all but one of the squads for the tournament,” said CWI chief executive, Johnny Grave.
“The teams have all had an intense period of preparation and we know this will lead to an action-packed and entertaining tournament for our fans – from the first ball on Tuesday to the last ball on the night of 11 November.”
Red Force and CCC will be joined by title-holders Jamaica Scorpions, Barbados Pride, Guyana Harpy Eagles, Leeward Islands Hurricanes and Windward Islands Volcanoes.
Once again, West Indies Academy has been also included in the competition as part of CWI’s development thrust for the youth side, and Grave said their presence remained critical.
“As we look towards the future in West Indies cricket, we are again pleased to have our West Indies Academy players participate in this year’s edition, which will provide them with strong, quality competition along their pathway to hopefully future international cricket,” Grave said.
“We wish all the teams the best in their quest to glory and being crowned the champions of the CG United Super50 Cup in 2023.”
The group stage will be a round-robin format, with the top four teams qualifying for the semi-finals on November 4-5 at the Brian Lara Stadium.
The winners will clash in the final at the same venue on November 8.
Source-CMC
Classic live performance of Bob Marley’s “Get Up, Stand Up” gets first YouTube release
A legendary live performance of Bob Marley & The Wailers’ classic “Get Up, Stand Up” is now available on YouTube for the first time.
The performance was recorded in 1973 at the Sundown Theatre in Edmonton, North London, and up until now was only available as a bootleg.
The performance will be featured on the upcoming 50th anniversary reissue of Marley & The Wailers' album Catch A Fire, which drops November 3. It will feature the original album, the 10-song Live From The Paris Theatre, London recording, and Sessions, an album of alternative and extended takes, as well as instrumental Jamaican versions of Catch A Fire songs. It is available for preorder now.
“Get Up, Stand Up,” written by Marley and Peter Tosh, appeared on the 1973 Wailers album Burnin', which is celebrating its 50th anniversary on October 19.
Source-ABC
PREMIER AND LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION HEAD DELEGATION TO FURTHER CONSTITUTIONAL TALKS WITH UK DELEGATION IN CAPITAL GRAND TURK
Premier, Hon. Charles Washington Misick and Opposition Leader Hon. Edwin Astwood will head a bipartisan delegation of Turks and Caicos Islands’ leaders to further talks with a Delegation of senior British officials at Waterloo, Grand Turk from Monday, October 16, 2023, through Thursday, October 19, 2023.
The Government and the Opposition politicians will present a united front in talks with senior British officials from the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office over proposed changes to the Turks and Caicos Islands’ constitution designed to protect the island’s right to make its own decisions on domestic matters and recognize the modern relationship between the Turks and Caicos Islands and the United Kingdom. The proposal document comprises the most significant set of changes to the Constitution since it was implemented twelve years ago.
Premier Misick and his cross-party delegation hope to achieve some significant amendments that will have an impact, among them:
The renaming of the House of Assembly to Parliament, so members of the House of Assembly would become MPs. The creation of parliamentary secretaries which would perform the role of junior ministers. The removal of the UK’s power to disallow bills passed by the House of Assembly.
Clear consultation, notification, and discussion processes between the British government and the Turks and Caicos Islands government, especially if the UK is going to implement laws for the territory. It also spells out the areas that the governor is directly responsible for and the devolved subjects where he has no day-to-day jurisdiction. Removal of the power of the Governor to regulate international financial services.
Another major proposal is the formation of an independent Police Service Commission, which will be chaired by the Governor. The other five members, who cannot be sitting MPs, must have relevant experience in law enforcement, criminal law, or national security. Two of them are to be nominated by the Premier and one by the Leader of the Opposition. The other two members will be appointed by the Governor in consultation with the Premier and Leader of the Opposition.
The Commission will have the power to hire and fire senior officers in the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force, including the Commissioner, and to exercise disciplinary control, which will also need to be approved by the National Security Council.
The return of the role of Cabinet Secretary to better manage the flow and implementation of Cabinet decisions is another key proposal.
Regional tourism officials meets here in Turks and Caicos
Chairman of the Barbados-based Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), Kenneth Bryan, Wednesday cautioned regional tourism leaders of the need to do things differently if the Caribbean is to maintain its competitive edge and remain as one of the fastest-growing tourism regions in the world.
Addressing the opening of the two-day 2023 State of the Industry conference he said that among the adjustments required was the need to embrace technological advancements, adopt sustainable practices, recognize trends and behavioral swings, and becoming masters of social media.
“And there’s also the need to even be willing to leverage artificial intelligence and green infrastructure, to enhance the tourism experience.
“This is where I see innovation playing a key role in the development of our tourism products, and in the ways in which we promote ourselves to travelers seeking unique, authentic and bespoke…experiences,” said Bryan, who is also a tourism minister in the Cayman Islands.
Noting that the word “experiences” was being used more and more as a synonym for tourism, he told the audience “that what tourism is, that’s what each of us involved in the industry is selling, an experience of our islands, our cultures, our food, our people.”
Bryan reminded delegates that tourists do not travel because they want to fly on a plane or stay in a hotel, but instead are in need of an experience.
“This means that our jobs as practitioners and stakeholders in tourism are not just to entice them through marketing and advertising to visit our shores but to inspire them to come back time and time again,” the CTO chairman said.
He said that one of the most effective ways to do that is by inspiring young people, the next generation of leaders, managers, business owners and entrepreneurs, to pursue careers in tourism.
The organizers said the two-day conference offers “a robust and insightful agenda,” which includes presentations and panel discussions that examine the intricacies of tourism investment and financing in the Caribbean, which they describe as being of paramount importance for this region’s growth and sustainability.
They said that the event held under the theme “Invest, Innovate, and Inspire” will seek to explore the current challenges and opportunities within the dynamic tourism landscape.
In his address, Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), Charles Washington Misick urged n delegates to work collaboratively to make the sector sustainable especially as climate change continues to pose a significant threat to many tourism destinations.
He said that SOCTIC provides an ideal platform to address these challenges head-on.
TCI’s tourism Minister Josephine Connolly said that the sector provides unparalleled quality service to guests.
“Our victories are part of a larger regional story and we firmly believe that with hard work, unwavering commitment, innovative tools, and forging new alliances, our region’s potential for success is limitless”, she told the conference.
MINISTER OF TOURISM THE HON JOSEPHINE CONNOLLY EXPRESSES HEARTFELT THANKS TO SPONSORS AND STAKEHOLDERS FOR WELCOME RECEPTION AT SOTIC
The Honorable Josephine Connolly, Minister of Tourism for the Turks and Caicos Islands, would like to express her heartfelt gratitude and thanks for staging the welcome reception for the State of Tourism Industry Conference at the Shore Club on Monday night.
The reception was a spectacular showcase and celebration of our culture. Local songbird Barbara Johnson regaled us with her unique sound and original music, David Bowen and TUCA showcased the history and wit of our Ripsaw music while Mike ‘The General” and the Q Band Lynks showed the versatility of our performers with music from at home and around the Caribbean.
The Minister thanks all of them and our top sound system Prime DJs for proudly showcasing the vibrant culture of our islands.
The Minister also extends her gratitude to the restaurants, chefs, and their teams who pulled out all the stops to present a delicious selection of cuisine that represented different cultures: The
Palms, Mr. Grouper’s Restaurant, Wymara, Seven Stars, TCI Private Chefs, Beaches Resort Villages & Spa and Grace Bay Club. The cuisine of the Turks and Caicos Islands was enjoyed immensely by all of our Ministers of Tourism, delegates, and international media in attendance.
The event was made possible thanks to the unwavering support of our sponsors Grace Bay Club, Graceway IGA, and The Wine Cellar.
Thanks to our Governor, Her Excellency Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam, Deputy Governor, Her Excellency Anya Williams, Premier Hon. Charles Washington Missick, and overseas and local delegates for their attendance.