Parties and fireworks as the world ushers in new year
Firework displays, parties and other celebrations are taking place around the world to usher in the new year.
Festivities ranged from the release of thousands of silver balloons in Toyko in Japan, to the first countdown of a western new year in Hanoi, Vietnam.
In Sydney, crowds watched what is hailed as the world's biggest New Year's Eve fireworks display.
Earlier, thousands of revellers took to the streets in New Zealand - the first major country to see in 2011.
Meanwhile, party-goers in Europe are gearing up for firework displays and other events planned across the continent.
A musical and fireworks are planned at the UK's London Eye big wheel - which is marking its 10th anniversary.
Crowds have also gathered in Madrid's Puerta del Sol square to take part in "Las Uvas" (The Grapes), a tradition in which people eat a grape for each of the 12 chimes of midnight.
And in the US, up to a million people are expected in New York to see the famous Times Square Ball drop at midnight.
The municipal authorities and warmer weather have combined to clear the streets following the snowstorm which blanketed the city this week
In Hong Kong, hundreds of thousands of people gathered along Victoria Harbour to watch fireworks explode from the roofs of the city's most prominent buildings.
At the Zojoji temple in central Tokyo, Japan, monks chanted as visitors packed in to count down until midnight. Thousands released a mass of silver balloons carrying notes with their hopes for the future.
And in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, fireworks formed the shape of a dragon spiralling up the tallest skyscraper.
This year's display is the country's biggest ever, costing $2m (£1.3m), to mark the beginning of year 100 on the Taiwan calendar.
In Sydney, about 1.5 million people came out with blankets and camping equipment ahead of the seven-tonne fireworks display above the Harbour Bridge.
Crowds began arriving more than 12 hours before the main display, with new visitors turned away as early as 1500 (0400 GMT), the Associated Press news agency reports.
"We know how to party on new year back home, but Sydney is a bigger and better party than anywhere else," Marcio Motta, a 26-year-old spectator from Brazil, told the Press Association.
This year, meanwhile, marked the first time Vietnam's capital, Hanoi, officially celebrated a Western-style countdown. In previous years, the city authorities have focused on Tet, the holiday marking the lunar new year, which begins on 3 February.
In the Philippines, safety officials urged caution after firecrackers injured at least 245 people in recent days. According to tradition, many believe noisy celebrations drive away evil and misfortune.
In Burma, however, the military government has banned all fireworks and said severe action would be taken against anyone using them.
Political activist Aung San Suu Kyi, who was released from house arrest in November, called for the Burmese people "to struggle together with new strengths, new force and new words in the auspicious new year".
The tiny Pacific nation of Kiribati was the first to welcome in the new year at 1000 GMT. The religious island nation was set to mark the event with church and village services.
Top Stories of 2010 in the Turks & Caicos Islands
As 2010 comes to a close, the time has come to look back at a very eventful year in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI). One filled with unexpected events and disappointments -- a shift in British politics, which could affect the news in 2011/2012, and the beginning of the long awaited fallout from the Commission of Inquiry, which will soon mark its two-year anniversary.
Number One: The Unity March
Without any doubt, the top news story of 2010 was the Unity March. Splashed across the headlines of all three newspapers, prompting numerous news reports by television, radio and internet media, and invoking comment by all the opinion columnists, The March stands alone as the biggest story in 2010. Blythe Duncanson, editor of the leading newspaper, the TCI Weekly News, called the march historic and the biggest, best organized demonstration he could remember.
The event, started by Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) leader Douglas Parnell, occurred in March 2010, and inheriting a second name The March in March, was misunderstood by non native residents, criticised by some expats and embraced by virtually the entire belonger population.
The police had no choice but to accommodate it by closing off a long section of Leeward Highway, including the busiest section in the heart of downtown Providenciales (Provo), as marchers strolled peacefully 8 and 10 abreast. The professional stagecraft company who provided the stage from which speeches were delivered estimated the crowd to be at least 2,500
people.
These numbers were later confirmed by the number of signatures on a petition forwarded to the British government.
The march was a non political, cross party event to demonstrate for the right of self determination. It was perceived by most islanders that these rights were in jeopardy when Colin Roberts, the British Director of Overseas Territories, spoke out in favour of the enlargement of the voting franchise and massive constitutional reform with minimal consultation with
islanders.
March speeches were delivered by leading members of the clergy and politicians from both parties. With one exception, they all spoke to the self determination human rights issues. Only former Premier Galmo Williams, himself displaced by the British direct rule takeover, spoke off subject, calling for independence.
Number Two: The TCI Bank Failure
The failure of the TCI Bank appears to have affected every family in the TCI. Losses to 4,000 depositors and upwards of $22.5 million in pension funds have thrown the spotlight on the Financial Services Commission,which found the bank lacking in management but failed to act. Questions have also been raised about the policies of the officers of the National
Insurance Fund, who not only purchased stock in what was viewed as a risky venture, but then followed up by making deposits of $19.5 million of pensioners contributions.
Rushed into liquidation, two financial groups ready to take over the bank and save the depositors funds were largely ignored.
Unanswered questions still loom about the countrys first indigenous bank, which some said was designed to fail: will depositors lose everything or recoup 10 cents or more on the dollar and why is the TCI Bank failure not being investigated by the Interim Government.
Number Three: Change of Government in Britain This story had multiple angles and is possibly the story that could have
the most serious effect on events in the TCI in the immediate and long term future. This event did not occur in the TCI.
In May 2010, British voters overturned the 13-year-old Labour Party government of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, who were replaced by a David Cameron/Conservative-led coalition with third party Liberal Democrats.
Leading up to and during the PNP years of 2003 to 2009 Chief Minister and later Premier Michael Misick lobbied extensively with Britains Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Ministry for Overseas Territories (OT). As it now turns out, the Turks and Caicos Islands, with its small size but promising potential, has also become the biggest challenge for the FCO's
OT department.
The British Labour Party imposed policy of hands off the Overseas Territories was in the later years managed not only by Minister Meg Munn, herself the target of allegations of misdeeds in Britain, but by three temporary ministers since 2008, all of whom served amazingly short terms.
The longest serving of these was Chris Bryant. Bryant and Colin Roberts, who replaced Leigh Turner as Director of Overseas Territories, had announced a policy of making the TCI pay for problems spelled out in a 2009 Commission of Inquiry.
The Commission of Inquiry came into being due to the efforts of Conservative Member of Parliament Sir John Stanley and two other members of the Foreign Affairs Committee (FAC), who visited TCI and found a climate of intimidation and signs of corruption while Misick was premier. Stanley and the FAC put Munn and the FCOs overseas territories department
on the hot seat at a subsequent hearing in London.
Now Stanley's Conservative Party is calling the shots in the FCO, with Conservative Henry Bellingham serving as Minister. Another Conservative, Andrew Rosindell, a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and chairing the British All Party Group, is now speaking out on the challenges in restoring TCI to its potential and responsible internal government.
Governor Gordon Wetherell and CEO Mark Capes were both appointed by the Labour government, who, while still ruling the FCO, refused to fund the investigations into the alleged corruption reported by the Inquiry. This has seemingly delayed the expected prosecutions called for by the Inquiry and to be undertaken by the British special prosecution team.
Wetherell, a career diplomat, is perceived by most TCIslanders as a well meaning leader who is facing massive financial challenges left in the wake of the removal of the Misick/Williams-led PNP government.
Number Four: The Crime Wave
Over the course of the last administration, crime has steadily climbed, with the Royal Turks and Caicos Police Force seemingly unable to find solutions to the problem and also unable bring the culprits to justice.
Police Commissioner Edward Hall, who has led the department since his appointment in 2005, and two other police leaders have now been retired early. Eight unsolved murders, face to face hold ups with automatic weapons, a local mastermind advising criminals have all been keeping both the police and judiciary at bay until recently.
Missing drugs and weapons from the police impound area and an officer with cuts and bruises after a double murder attempt left one dead and another seriously beaten in December 2009 have all been part of the notorious crime wave, which only recently seems to be diminishing.
Officers from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) will now take over the top posts for two years, and possibly additional British assistance will be on the way.
Number Five: TCI Election Cancelled
Making headlines only weeks ago was the delay in elections. This was announced by Britains new Minister of Overseas Territories Henry Bellingham during an overnight visit to the TCI.
As Bellingham slipped out of town, PNP demonstrators rushed to try to intercept him at the Provo airport, but instead encountered constitutional reform specialist Kate Sullivan and Governor Wetherell.
Shouting demonstrators blocked their automobile and farced police to escort Sullivan and Wetherell to their waiting plane.
Following up on the election delay, Clayton Greene, who now heads the PNP, has spoken out against the withdrawal of elections, which were anticipated for July 2011. Green has attacked the delay based on Bellingham's call for a number of required milestones, one of which will see prosecutions before the election is rescheduled. Greene said this is unnecessary.
PDM leader Douglas Parnell also expressed his disappointment, saying that some of the milestones set down by Bellingham have been or will soon be met.
Female Santa Euwonka Selver visits Cheshire Hall Medical Centre
Christmas is a great timefor traditions.
Some families make a giant turkey, some roasted chestnuts while others tear open presents at the crack of dawn.
Euwonka Selver too has a festive tradition and that is upholding every year, without fail gift giving.
The Provo mother of two spends every Christmas day handing out gifts to newborn babies at the hospital.
In an interview Ms. Selver was asked about the reasons for her generosity?
“It goes back to my childhood”, Euwonka explains. “When I was about seven I spent Christmas in a hospital in Grand Turk.
“It was a horrible experience, in terms of being away from my family and no one would wish anyone Christmas cheer. It was miserable, scary and very lonely. When you are a child, you just don’t understand what’s happening around you.
“I never want a child to feel that way I did at Christmas time, so every year I visit the hospital and give little gifts to every newborn baby. That way, whatever their circumstances are, they are guaranteed at least one present.”
Euwonka handed out gifts at the Cheshire Hall Medical Centre where eight newborn baby girls and five boys spent their first Christmas.
She added: “It’s something I do every year and have done for a very long time. But it’s still a good feeling after all these years.
Ms. Selver continued “It’s a small gesture on my part and I hope it helps brighten the lives of others. As a family, it’s important to keep up this tradition and for us it helps remind children, especially my children, just how lucky they are to have the wonderful lives they do.”
A spokesman from Interhealth Canada, said: “It’s never easy when people have to spend Christmas in a hospital and so gestures like these are very welcoming.
He told RTC News “Euwonka’s kindness was much appreciated and it just shows what a caring community we have here in the TCI.”
Support for the SNAP Centre in Providenciales drops
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The SNAP Centre, located in Kew Town, Providenciales says it has seen its support dropped and is therefore appealing to the general public for assistance.
Caregiver of the Centre, Paulette Simmons is quoted as telling the SUN Newspaper that financial support from the community has plummeted, but said she and other caregivers at the institution are thankful that some entities continued to give.
Speaking with the newspaper while on a tour with the children at the Enid Capron Primary School during World Disabilities Day earlier this month, Ms Simmons said “We get a lot of support, but not much as we have been expecting. It could be the economy, because before the recession, we had much more support, but now things have dropped. We are still thankful to God that persons still remember us at the centre and would still come, just to visit and at times, bring gifts for the children.
Ms. Simmons also called for more focus on special needs awareness, especially from the general public. She noted that children with special needs are not being treated with the same level of adoration and love as those that are able bodied. According to her, children with disabilities are no less worthy than those born without disabilities.
“There are a lot of people in the community not focusing on children with special needs, but I would encourage each and everyone in the community to let us focus on them, because they are special like our normal kids; they are special in their own way that God had created them,” Simmons noted.
Currently there are six students at the SNAP Centre, ranging from ages 7 to 16 years. Ms. Simmons said the SNAP Centre operates as a regular learning institution, starting each morning with regular devotion, before delving into the curriculum.
She said students with speech impediment are taught how to call and identify words and activities that happen in their school, home and community. Students are also taught how to pronounce their names, identify places in and around their surroundings.
She said those with the capacity to learn like normal children, but are at lower levels such as K1, when they should have been at grade two, are taught how to read, call words and are given basic math problems.
Meanwhile, Special Education Teacher at the Enid Capron Primary School, Carolyn Johnson, said each year on World Disabilities Day, children and students from that institution would visit the SNAP Centre, to have lunch and interact with the students, but the SNAP Centre decided that they would be the guests this time around. She said the children enjoyed themselves, since they spent the day interacting with children at Enid Capron and visited their playground where they had a great deal of fun.
Middle Caicos Sailing Association - MCSA is reaching out for sponsors to replenish its fleet
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This year the Middle Caicos Sailing Association - MCSA is reaching out for sponsors to replenish its fleet of model sail boats used for the annual race day and for teaching events. We fervently hope you will help preserve this traditional sport!!!
Daniel O. Forbes, founder of MCSA At the moment the fleet consists of only 14 boats! Over the years nearly 100 boats have been carved - all being raced, sold and/or donated to the MCSA - but they do wear out eventually. The popularity of the Valentines Day Cup grows steadily, and we need to have more boats available for the race day and for the teaching workshops for children now offered.
Forbes said this fleet is in need of refurbishment as many of the older boats can simply no longer be repaired. He noted that the local gu-mel-e-mi wood used for carving the boats, has a varied lifespan, with some boats now over 7 years old, but many of our model sailboats now are simply ready to be permanently dry-docked.
“We are asking companies, organizations, families and individuals to purchase a boat for the MCSA fleet. The boat will be named as you request, and painted in colours of your choice (ie . to match any corporate colours). A certificate from the boat carver, donation certificate and mention of the donation in all our press releases will follow. For the race event, your chosen captain will sail the boat, or we will find a captain for you. It is an excellent opportunity to raise your local visibility and to assist with our cultural heritage preservation efforts. This is the largest annual community event held on North/Middle Caicos, and well worthy of your support,” Mr. Forbes said.
Boats are available in sizes from 24 to 48 inches, at price levels $250, $350, $500 and $750. This year both the hand carved gu-mel-e-mi models or the hand built pine plank models, are being offered for sale. Mr Forbes again appeals to the entire community to render whatever help they can, and soon.
Mr. Forbes can be contacted on 1-649 -232-6132 or email middlecaicos@tciway.tc for further information.
Meanwhile, Forbes is asking persons to mark their calendars NOW for Saturday February 12th, 2011. Be on Bambarra beach for captains meeting at noon. There will be a Cook out with Church of God of Prophecy, music and dancin' all afternoon, cash prizes and trophies - a really good day on the beach!! You know you want to be there!!
Work ahead for Millennium Highway in 2011
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Motorists long plagued by gaping potholes along a major Providenciales highway will have to wait several more months before resurfacing will go ahead.
But the Government said it is aware of the problems affecting Millennium Highway, the main thoroughfare to densely populated Blue Hills and Wheeland and has named it the highest priority.
Drivers forced to traverse the road on a regular basis are all too familiar with the vast craters which line one long stretch.
Recent bad weather has made some sections almost impassable with vehicles swerving across the road to avoid the largest holes.
One resident said Cars are literally forced off the highway to pass through some sections. It’s an accident waiting to happen.
The fact that the road has been left in such a bad state when it is the main route to what is arguably now the most densely populated area in the country is a disgrace.
Another danger is that is forcing vehicles to take the beach road to Wheeland instead which runs directly through a residential area with two schools.
A spokesman for the Government is quoted by the Weekly News as saying that an increase in traffic and heavy rains had resulted in a considerable amount of damage to the road’s surface.
This is exacerbated by the increase in development along the highway, much of which does not include adequate provision for drainage.
He said bitumen for temporary repairs had been ordered some time ago from overseas but had failed to arrive.
In the meantime, bitumen was sent from Grand Turk which enabled some of the larger potholes to be filled in last week.
The spokesman said the road was in need of considerable work including proper resurfacing and drainage improvements.
A schedule of road improvement projects has been prepared and the Millennium Highway is of the highest priority.
Work should commence on this schedule towards the middle of 2011. In the meantime temporary repairs will continue to be effected as required.
He urged drivers to be cautious when driving on this section of the road, especially in times of heavy rain.
Taylor Swift visits TCI
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Despite talk of the country losing its star appeal, one of the biggest female country and western artists in the world made the beautiful by nature islands her Christmas ms getaway sparking the increased presence of the paparazzi.
21-year-old country superstar Taylor Swift spent two days on the islands, which are 575 miles southeast of Miami. Swift along with her mom Andrea and younger brother Austin according to reports had a wonderful time on the island.
Photographers were however hoping for secret wedding to her current beau movie star Jake Gyllenhall but he never attended with the family.
Tourism industry officials are optimistic that the recent publicity of the superstar has generated in the international press and call it a great start to the 2011 TCI tourist season.
Gunshots heard in Blue Hills
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