Crime Update from the Royal Turks and Caicos Police Force
Officers of the Serious Crimes Unit of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force are investigating two separate incidents of aggravated burglaries that occurred over the weekend.
Based on preliminary reports, at around 11.21 pm yesterday on February 26th, a call was placed to the Police Control Room informing officers of a robbery in Woodland Street, Blue Hills, Providenciales.
When the officers arrived on scene, they ascertained that two persons were robbed between 10pm and 10:30pm by two armed men who were wearing dark clothing and masks covering their faces.
The gunmen stole a black 2010 Nissan March and other valuables before escaping.
On February 24th, at 10.47 pm, the Police Control Room received a call that a robbery had occurred at a villa in Grace Bay.
Having arrived at the scene, officers interviewed a husband and wife. The officers were told , the couple, along with their two children, retired to bed around 9pm, but were awaken by two armed, masked men who proceeded to rob them. The men then escaped with several valuables.
The public is being advised to notify the closest police station or to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-8477 and give any information regarding these robberies or any illegal activity anonymously.
PDM Leader Hon. Edwin A. Astwood rebuts State of the State Address
Tonight, It is now clear to everyone who watched the Premier’s State of the State address that the Premier and his PNP Cabinet have either spent the last 2 years ignoring all the real issues facing the Turks and Caicos Islands or Making them worse.
In his address, the Premier tried to paint a different picture of the country, but his actions over the last 2 years, don’t match the rhetoric that we have heard. This is not what the people that voted his Party into Office were expecting. This PNP Administration has made life harder for the average resident of the Turks & Caicos Islands.
I believe that every TCI who was watching this speech had asked themselves:
After 2 long years of the Hon. Charles W. Misick-led PNP administration, am I better of now than I was 4 years ago, before the pandemic?
The answer I NO.
SO YOU HAVE NOT DELIVERED”
Every TCI is probably paying 30% more for monthly expenses than they did 4 years ago, the cost of living is at an all-time high, for many the chance of owning a home is far out of reach. They just can’t afford the extremely high prices.
Many persons have left the country, and many more are planning to leave. We have not seen an Exodus like this since the late ’60s, and early 70’s.
“SO Mr. PREMIER -YOU HAVE NOT DELIVERED”
Under this current PNP administration, far too many of our families are living paycheck to paycheck.
Under this current PNP administration Wages are struggling to keep pace with the actual cost of living.
Under this current PNP administration, we are seeing moms’ and dads’ paychecks buy them less and less.
Under this current PNP administration, we are seeing our working people choose which essential Items to take home- and which ones to leave behind.
Under this current PNP administration, we are seeing a record amount of vacancies in the Public Service- we heard 400 vacancies.
“SO YOU HAVE NOT DELIVERED”
Under this current PNP administration, we are seeing persons being sent into retirement while there is still a great need for the retention of their services.
The Hon. Premier said tonight that his government had created a Health Care system that is accessible and delivers a High-Quality Care – however - Under this current PNP administration, we are seeing Health care outcomes the worse it has ever been in modern times.
In this nation where the Premier says that the Economy is ROARING, we are hearing of Turks and Caicos Islanders who are skipping blood pressure pills and insulin injections, forced to choose between buying medicine or buying food.
So regardless of whether he site GDP, whether he cites tourist numbers, Cruise Ship numbers, whether he cites job vacancy numbers, decrease in customs processing fees, decrease in fuel tax -or whether you site some other things the Premier is trying to hang his hat on-
The Fact is that for the average TCI, those cited numbers don’t translate into a better life or better opportunities. It has NOT.
“SO YOU HAVE NOT DELIVERED”
We as politicians should never lose sight of whom we are working for.
But what we have heard tonight shows a government that is totally disconnected from its people.
Tonight we heard the Premier take credit for many projects that the previous administration did. His role was only to cut ribbons – nothing else. He took credit for Covid Vaccinations, the travel portal, mental health facilities, agriculture policy, Farmer’s market, and school gardens- none of which he had anything to do with it.
Additionally, they had nothing to do with the South Caicos Airport getting done- their only role thus far was to take walk-throughs and pose for pictures.
“SO YOU HAVE NOT DELIVERED”
Every major thing that this PNP Administration had put in place is having a negative effect on our people.
An example is the Beach vendors Bill which is killing local small businesses and making it harder for the surviving businesses to operate.
Another is the closing down of the Tourist Board and opening of the DMO- which is putting 17 of our people out of work- the Premier said in his speech tonight that “that change is uncomfortable, but it is necessary- so he is viewing the staff as “causalities of war.”
You should not have to wake up every morning and worry about the next thing this Government is going to do to you or your children, or do to your business, or your way of life.
That is why No one is listening to the Premier anymore. His Cabinet and his Team are weak. He commands no more respect. The majority of our People no longer care what he says. He and his team did it to themselves. The people gave them a chance, and they “bit the hand that fed them.”
Recently we have been watching the news from around the world that is showing entire populations revolting against leaders who refuse to improve their lives.
And we can now confirm that they have no idea of how to reverse the economic and cultural trends that are destroying the Turks and Caicos Islands.
They cannot improve anyone’s life, only they can enhance their own.
At some point, the Premier will be gone. His Cabinet will be gone. The rest of us will be gone, too. The country will remain. What kind of country will it be then?
Who will call themselves Turks and Caicos Islanders?
How do we want our children and grandchildren to live?
What social, economic, and political climate will they face?
These are the only questions that matter.
The answers use to be obvious. Prosperity and a successful life. However, the goal for the Turks and Caicos is both simpler and more elusive than mere prosperity:
It includes happiness. There are a lot of ingredients in being happy: Dignity, Purpose, Safety, Opportunity, Self-respect, national pride, freedom, self-determination, and Above all, deep relationships with other people.
Those are the things that you want for your children. They are the things that our leaders should want for us and would want if they cared.
But the current PNP leaders don’t care. We are being governed by soldiers of fortune who feel no long-term obligation to the people that had elected them.
Tonight - The Premier said it himself, he said “I KNOW MY TIME IS LIMITED”
Yes, Premier your time is limited
They’re temporary workers, backup drivers, day traders, Substitute teachers, and guest workers. They’re just passing through. They have no skin in this game, and it shows. They can’t solve our problems. They don’t even bother to talk with our people in order to understand our problems.
When you care about people, you do your best to treat them fairly. Our PNP leaders don’t even try. They hand out jobs and contracts and opportunities based purely on how close you are associated with them.
Yes, the country is Booming, but it is only booming for the Premier and his closest friends. Their little group did increase their economic advantage. But for everyone else, we are still fighting for the crumbs from the table.
It has to be clear that the actions of the Premier and his party are pulling us further and further apart
Unfairness is profoundly contentious. When you favor one child over another, your children don’t hate you. They hate each other.
This is what’s happening in our country, probably by this PNP Administration’s grand design;
Divided countries are easier to rule and exploit. And nothing divides us like the perception that some select people are getting super special treatment, while all others get nothing and are being left behind. The general public should oppose this with everything they have.
SO YOU HAVE NOT DELIVERED
But it doesn’t have to be that way. There is an alternative-
Across our nation, the PDM party is now showing our people what PDM Leadership looks like:
What it means to respect the people we serve – to hear them out, to talk with them not down at them, to stand up for them, to walk alongside them,
We know that our problems require bold action, but we know that doesn’t mean the government making decisions without the people.
The PDM may not have the Government but we are doing what we can to fill the leadership vacuum in our Government. And on the major issues that are affecting TCIs, the PDM is leading in putting workable recommendations forward.
We are standing up for our people.
Most of all we are respecting You the people as being the ones that we have to answer to. The Premiere only talks about it, we the PDM do it.
That is what I believe, that is what the PDM believes, and that is what the PDM is doing.
In his speech, The Honorable premier never truly established how we will fix some of the things plaguing our people and the country. We are now more uncertain about our future as a nation than ever before.
“SO IN SUMMARY YOU HAVE NOT DELIVERED”
Over the last 2 years, I have put my faith in our people across the length and breadth of the Turks and Caicos Islands, and they haven’t let me down.
I encourage this Premier and his government to do the same – to put his faith in you the TCI people who have never wavered in your belief in this country, regardless of which PARTY leads it.
You know that the soul of the TCI is not about who is the elected government, its men and women like you in every Island and corner of our nation, who are willing to step up and take responsibility for your communities, for your Island, for your country, and ultimately for yourselves.
The majority of the country knows that the PDM can do better, we must do better, and We are better.
Thank you, God Bless you and God bless the TCI
Space capsule launched to ISS to bring home stranded astronauts
An unmanned space capsule has been launched from Kazakhstan to help bring home three astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS), after their original return vehicle was damaged by a tiny meteoroid.
The capsule is scheduled to dock at the ISS on Sunday but is not expected to bring home the three astronauts until September.
Source- BBC
Above Rocks Health Centre now powered by solar energy
Two years after getting a facelift, the Above Rocks Health Centre in St Catherine received a solar power energy system, which will aid in reducing utility costs at the facility.
The project was done through a partnership between the Federal Republic of Germany and the Heart Foundation of Jamaica (HFJ) at a cost of US$8,700.
The solar system consists of nine solar panels, eight batteries, converters and a battery charging machine.
Manager of the Above Rocks Health Centre Nurse Johanna Burgher told the Jamaica Observer that the solar panel system will make a big difference at the facility which operates from small income as it accommodates people who are from low socio-economic backgrounds.
"It was expensive and since this health centre is not really making a lot of money, because the patients I treat here don't really have so much money, I keep the costs very low," Burgher said after the unveiling ceremony for the solar system on Thursday.
"This really takes a lot of burden from our shoulders and even people who come and charge their phones now, I can tell them to go ahead because I am not paying for it. Even when I get the dental chairs with a basin, water suction, drill and light, the solar system will already be enough for my stuff to come. I am very happy that I have the solar system now," she added.
Executive director of HFJ Deborah Chen said funds that would usually be used to pay electricity bills can now help to purchase additional medical supplies.
"The current donation of the German Embassy is really critical because as a non-profit clinic, there are minimal fees for the services. But, of course, bills still have to be paid, we still have to buy the medical supplies, maintain the building and we have to pay utility bills," said Chen.
"With the donation of the solar panels, we got to the point where we don't have to pay monthly pills and now that money can go towards medicine, dressings and the other medical supplies to run the clinic. It is very major for us and we are very grateful for the donations," she added.
Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Jamaica Jan Henrik van Theil added, "It makes me so happy that today we have solar panels. It might be a small unit, but it is a small piece to the big solution for the progress of this island. This island is perfect for the energy transition."
The health facility serves residents of Above Rocks and neighbouring communities including Barnett district, Retirement and Harkers Hall on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
In 2021, the facility got a $2.7-million renovation including re-roofing, installation of new floor tiles, electrical rewiring, new windows, and doors, bathroom upgrade, and procurement of new furniture.
Source- Jamaica Observer
Netflix cuts prices for subscribers in more than 30 countries
Streaming giant Netflix has cut prices in more than 30 countries as it attempts to attract more subscribers.
Prices have been cut in parts of Asia, Europe, Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East.
It comes as the rising cost of living sees households tightening their belts and Netflix faces increased competition from rival services.
"Members have never had more choices when it comes to entertainment," a company spokesperson told the BBC.
Countries in which subscription charges have been lowered include Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Croatia, Venezuela, Kenya, and Iran.
The cuts apply to certain price plans, with subscription charges falling by half in some cases.
The company did not name the UK or the US as countries where it had cut its prices.
"We're always exploring ways to improve our members' experience. We can confirm that we are updating the pricing of our plans in certain countries," a Netflix spokesperson said.
The firm's shares closed 3.4% lower in New York on Thursday after the Wall Street Journal first reported the story.
Netflix, which operates in more than 190 countries, has faced increased competition from streaming rivals including Amazon, HBO, and Disney.
Last year, the firm cut hundreds of jobs and launched a less expensive streaming option with adverts as it fought to grow its share of the increasingly competitive streaming market.
In January, Netflix co-chief executive Greg Peters outlined how he planned to attract more subscribers.
"We want to make that spectrum even wider as we seek to serve more members around the world and try to deliver appropriate value at those different price points," Mr Peters said.
The company is also cracking down on people sharing their subscriptions.
Netflix introduced limits on password sharing in more countries earlier this month. These require customers to pay an extra fee if they want friends and family who don't live with them to share their subscriptions.
Last summer, Netflix revealed that it had lost almost a million subscribers between April and the end of June as more people decided to quit the service.
However, in January the company said subscriber numbers had jumped at the end of 2022.
Source- BBC
Can technology clean up the shrimp farming business?
For generations, the family of Debabrata Khuntia made a living by fishing in the Bay of Bengal and the rivers and canals of Purba Medinipur in West Bengal.
He remembers being able to catch 10 tonnes of fish a year, some of which he would keep and the rest he would sell in the market.
But those days are gone. There are few fish and Debabrata now makes a living growing tomatoes and brinjal.
He is in no doubt what is to blame. "Excessive shrimp farming."
Many farmers have shifted to shrimp farming because the money is better, he says. But that involves building shrimp ponds, feeding the shrimp, and treating them with antibiotics.
At the end of the growing cycle - when the shrimp are ready for market - the water is flushed into the river untreated which, Debabrata says, has caused pollution.
"The water turns black and smells," he says. The poor quality of the water has even hit his vegetable crop.
Shrimp farming has also been blamed for social and environmental problems elsewhere in the world.
Despite those problems, India is unlikely to turn its back on the industry.
Source- BBC
Toyota and Honda announce biggest pay rises in decades
Japanese motor industry giants Toyota and Honda say they have agreed to give their workers in the country the biggest pay rises in decades.
They are the latest firms in the world's third-largest economy to increase wages as prices jump.
Official figures published last month showed Japan's rate of inflation was at its highest level in over 40 years.
That has put pressure on businesses and authorities to help people as their spending power shrinks.
Each year Japanese firms typically hold pay talks with unions for weeks before announcing their decisions around the middle of March.
The car makers have not said why this year's announcements were made earlier than usual.
On Wednesday, Toyota said it will meet union demands for pay and bonuses, with wages increasing by the most in 20 years.
Toyota's incoming president Koji Sato said that he hoped the move would have a positive impact across Japan's motor industry and "lead to frank discussions between labor and management at each company."
The company declined to provide further details when approached by the BBC.
Meanwhile, rival car maker Honda told the BBC that it had "fully answered" union requests for wage increases and bonuses.
The company said it will raise salaries by 5%, marking the biggest increase since 1990 and above Japan's rate of inflation.
A Honda spokesperson said the extra money will largely be distributed to younger employees as starting salaries are boosted.
"Despite the severe business environment, management has a strong desire to create an environment in which all employees can... push forward with their work with a sense of urgency," the spokesperson added.
Earlier this year, Japan's prime minister Fumio Kishida called on firms to raise wages to help people struggling with rising prices.
In January, the owner of fashion chain Uniqlo, Fast Retailing, said it would raise the pay of staff in its home country by up to 40%.
The company said the new pay policy would apply to full-time employees at its headquarters and company stores in Japan from the beginning of March.
For decades both prices and wage growth in Japan had been stagnant.
In recent months inflation around the world jumped as countries eased pandemic restrictions and the war in Ukraine pushed up energy prices.
In December, Japan's core consumer prices rose by 4% from a year earlier, double the central bank's target level and the highest rate in 41 years.
Source- BBC
Sevilla goalie attacked by a fan
Sevilla goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic was attacked by a pitch invader as PSV Eindhoven beat their Spanish opponents on the night but lost 3-2 on aggregate.
Trailing 3-0 from the Europa League knockout round play-off first leg, PSV scored two late goals through Luuk de Jong and Fabio Silva.
But Ruud van Nistelrooy's side could not find a crucial third goal.
Dmitrovic, 31, was approached by a fan who swung a punch before being wrestled to the ground by the Serbian keeper.
The pitch invader was eventually led away by stewards after the incident in the closing stages of the match.
Dmitrovic, whose former clubs include Charlton Athletic, was able to carry on as his side sealed a place in the last 16.
The Serbia international told reporters afterward: "It's never nice to see this in football. It shouldn't happen and, from now on, I hope these things are well punished.
"He came and pushed me from behind. He was probably angry about the result. He tried to hit me and I managed to grab him and wait for security to arrive."
Sevilla boss Jorge Sampaoli added: "It is incredibly sad that this has happened. I find it worrying - this type of thing needs to stop."
Source- BBC
Halle Bailey says she was in "disbelief" over positive response to playing The Little Mermaid's Ariel
Halle Bailey is reflecting on the past year and a half since filming wrapped on the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid.
In an interview with The Face, the 22-year-old actress and singer, who makes up one-half of the sister duo Chloe x Halle, and who stars as Ariel in the remake of the 1989 animated film, talked about the support she's received since taking on the movie's lead role.
"I was crying all night for two days, just staring at them in disbelief," she said, referring to the videos of young Black girls reacting to the first teaser trailer showing Bailey as Ariel for the first time. "It just makes me feel more grateful for where I am."
While the responses to the trailer -- which dropped in 2022 at the D23 Expo -- were overwhelmingly positive, it also became the target of backlash, similar to the criticism that came in 2019, when casting for the film was first announced.
Online, the hashtag #NotMyAriel was used in both instances to respond to the news.
Bailey, who recognizes the weight behind her turn as Ariel, shared how she's handled the negativity.
"As a Black person, you just expect it and it's not really a shock anymore," she said. "When [my sister and I] first signed to Parkwood [Entertainment, Beyoncé's record label,] she was always like, 'I never read my comments. Don't ever read the comments.' Honestly, when the tease came out, I was at the D23 Expo and I was so happy. I didn't see any of the negativity."
"I know people are like: 'It's not about race.' But now that I'm here…. People don't understand that when you're Black, there's this whole other community," Bailey added. "It's so important for us to see ourselves."
Source- ABC
PUBLIC FORECAST FOR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY
FORECAST FOR FRIDAY
WEATHER: MOSTLY SUNNY AND WARM. BREEZY IN THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS.
WINDS: EASTERLY AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS FALLING LIGHT AND VARIABLE AT TIMES IN THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS AND NORTHEAST TO EAST AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS IN THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS AND TCI.
SEAS: 2 TO 4 FEET IN THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS AND 4 TO 6 FEET IN THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS AND TCI.
FORECAST FOR SATURDAY
WEATHER: MOSTLY SUNNY AND WARM. BREEZY IN THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS AND TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS.
WINDS: NORTHEAST TO EAST AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS IN THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS AND NORTHEAST TO EAST AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS IN THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS AND TCI.
SEAS: 2 TO 4 FEET IN THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS AND 4 TO 6 FEET IN THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS AND TCI.