Commissioner Botting speaking yesterday on recent death in Providenciales.
Good afternoon Turks and Caicos, it's Monday 3rd October 2022, and I am here to update you on the incidents of the last 24 hours which resulted in the deaths of three individuals with five others injured.
The timeline of events is as follows:
The first targeted attack occurred on a vehicle containing staff from a local business and two tourists who were being transported back to their accommodation after an excursion.
This happened around 6 pm yesterday in Long Bay Road by armed criminals in a vehicle. These criminals proceeded to indiscriminately shoot into the vehicle transporting the employees and tourists.
As a result of this attack, two persons were murdered, one from a local business and the other being a tourist from the United States.
Our deepest condolences go out to the families of those murdered.
Three other persons were injured, including the other visitor to the TCI.
The next incident involved a Police Patrol Car of the Tactical Unit which intercepted the vehicle used by the criminals in the first attack.
Based on information received from the Command Center, the suspected vehicle was followed and tried to evade the RTCIPF officers. The criminals started shooting in the direction of the RTCIPF offices with automatic weapons.
Their bullets repeatedly struck the police vehicle’s windscreen and bonnet area multiple times. Bullets also deflated two tires of the vehicle driven by the officers.
Despite being under fire from automatic weapons, two of my officers, returned fire to protect themselves and of their colleagues. One officer received a serious injury from a gunshot wound.
I cannot speak highly enough of the Officers who came under attack and who, when they could have retreated or taken cover, stood their ground and returned fire.
Frankly, an astonishing display of courage under fire from high-powered weapons.
Based on the injuries sustained throughout the shooting and the condition of the police vehicle, the vehicle containing the criminals escaped and the officers immediately sought medical help for their seriously injured colleague.
The third incident saw a man presenting himself at the hospital with a head injury. Whilst he was found at Smart Supermarket, it is believed at this stage that he was struck by shots discharged by the criminals in their confrontation with Police officers.
The fourth incident we are actively investigating is a report of an unidentified male body in Dock Yard.
Whilst subject to confirmation, we believe this to be one of the armed attackers who was shot by Police Officers during the attack on the Police Vehicle.
In summary, the explosion of violence last evening, perpetrated by these reckless and dangerous armed criminals resulted in the death of three people, including the man believed to have been shot by the Police with five more people injured.
I believe the original attack was targeted and carried out by armed gang members who act without conscience, who have no regard for life, and who are hell-bent on causing indiscriminate harm and misery across the TCI. This violence is linked to drug supply and is fueled by revenge, turf wars, and retribution.
As Commissioner of Police, I am vowing that the RTCIPF will fight, any threat by criminals to attack law enforcement officers and the law-abiding citizens of the TCI.
The RTCIPF is not going to break any laws. We will act within the confines of the law when dealing with gangs threatening to destabilize the beautiful by nature-TCI with their nefarious, illegal violence. It will not be allowed to continue. The RTCIPF assures law-abiding citizens that law enforcement officers would defend themselves and the country to the fullest.
We know our communities are shocked and frightened by the levels of violence on the TCI in the last few months. The levels of violence would challenge a Police Force many times the size of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force. However, the police officers that serve you in the Turks and Caicos Islands are not cowed by this violence or the violent criminals and we remain strong and determined to do all they can to take the fight against violent criminals and protect our communities.
I salute the courage shown last night by my officers, in the face of the highest threat. The officers deserve the prayers and support of all communities for what they are doing to protect the Turks and Caicos Islands.
That said, we need support and I expect to see very substantial support arriving on the TCI shortly from across the region and the UK.
This support will be in the shape of armed officers and investigators to assist the RTCIPF deal with the current threats. I am grateful to the TCI and UK Governments for their support and also to the Government and Commissioner of Police from the Royal Bahamas Police Force for their solidarity and support.
In closing I also want to thank those who are assisting the Force with information and support to the hard-working men and women of the Force, this is really appreciated
I want to tell the public that as an organization, the police force feels the full weight of its responsibility in protecting the country and we are doing everything possible to ensure that the TCI can be returned to that safe and secure place.
Country music icon Loretta Lynn has died at age 90
Loretta Lynn, who overcame meager beginnings to transform her country career into international fame and fortune, passed away peacefully in her sleep Tuesday at her ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, according to her publicist. She was 90.
By the time Coal Miner's Daughter hit the big screen in 1980, based on her signature song of the same name, even the most casual country music fan would've been intimately familiar with Lynn's life story, thanks to the 1970 #1 that paid tribute to her beginnings in rural poverty in Butcher Holler, Kentucky.
The love of Loretta's life, Doolittle "Doo" Lynn, married 13-year-old Loretta Webb in 1948. By the time Loretta was twenty, she had four children, and her singing around the house made her husband believe she could be a star. Doo bought Loretta a guitar, she taught herself to play. Lynn and her ambitious husband embarked on a grassroots promotional campaign, visiting radio disc jockeys all across the country. By 1960, her debut single, "I'm a Honky Tonk Girl," reached #14, and she made her Grand Ole Opry debut.
The legendary Patsy Cline took Loretta under her wing, and her protégée was hard-hit by her sudden death in a plane crash in 1963. Patsy left such an impression on Loretta, she named one of her twins after her when they were born in 1964.
As a vocalist, Loretta may have carried on the stylings of her idol Kitty Wells, but when it came to songwriting, the untrained musician struck out on a path all her own. Doo's wandering eye gave life to classics like "You Ain't Woman Enough," "Fist City," and "Don't Come Home a' Drinkin' (With Lovin' on Your Mind)," the latter of which would become her first #1 in 1966.
Loretta never shied away from taboo topics, particularly ones that affected women. She tackled then-controversial issues like divorce and birth control in "Rated X" and "The Pill," and remained unscathed when they were banned by some radio stations.
Appropriately, the self-styled pioneer was the Country Music Association's first Female Vocalist of the Year in 1967, an award she'd win again in both 1972 and 1973. The early seventies were an epic time for Loretta as she accomplished a task that's still difficult today: in 1972, she became the first woman ever to be voted CMA Entertainer of the Year.
From there, her horizons only expanded. She teamed with Conway Twitty to redefine the country duet with pairings like "After the Fire Is Gone," "Lead Me On," and "Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man." The two would be named CMA Vocal Duo every year from 1972 until 1975.
In 1976, Loretta found time to write her autobiography, Coal Miner's Daughter. The accompanying 1980 movie of the same name -- starring Sissy Spacek as Loretta and Tommy Lee Jones as Doo -- became one of the year's top-ten highest-grossing films. The film's success earned Spacek the Academy Award for Best Actress, and catapulted Loretta to the status of American music icon.
By the end of the seventies, Loretta was such a widely marketable commodity, Procter & Gamble chose her to be the spokesperson for its line of oil and shortening. "Criso'll do you proud every time!" was Loretta's tagline in a series of memorable TV spots.
Throughout her life, Loretta remained fiercely devoted to her family, doing her best to help both her siblings and her children launch their own country careers. Her youngest sister, Brenda Gail Webb, was reborn Crystal Gayle after Loretta re-fashioned her name, taking inspiration from a Krystal fast-food sign.
Loretta also set about writing her sister's first hit, "I've Cried (The Blue Right Out of My Eyes)." Crystal would succeed her sister in taking home the CMA Female Vocalist trophy twice, in 1977 and 1978. Loretta's twin daughters, Patsy and Peggy, also achieved some success in the nineties, signing a contract with Warner Brothers as The Lynns.
Loretta's love for her family also brought her heartbreak. In 1984, life dealt her a difficult blow when her oldest son, 34-year-old Jack Benny Lynn, drowned on her ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee.
Just four years later, Loretta achieved the highest honor in her field: induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
In the nineties, as her husband's health began to fail, Loretta focused on taking care of the man she'd fallen in love with as a teenager. She managed to finish the memorable Honky Tonk Angels album with Dolly Parton and Tammy Wynette in 1994, but suffered a serious heartbreak when Doo passed away in 1996.
Though already a country legend, Loretta's career highlights were still far from over. 2002 brought a second volume of her autobiography, this time titled Still Woman Enough. In 2003, she received the Kennedy Center Honor, ahead of her 2004 Grammy-winning collaboration with rocker Jack White, Van Lear Rose.
The woman who'd started her music career with only her wit, hard work, and one-of-a-kind sense of humor was never one to give up, even in her 80s. She joked she'd taken care of John Carter Cash backstage at the Opry so his parents, June Carter and Johnny Cash, could perform. In her later years, she headed to Cash Cabin with John Carter Cash as producer, recording in the same space where the Man in Black recorded his final songs.
2016's Full Circle was nominated for a Grammy, ahead of a holiday volume, White Christmas Blue, that followed the same year. The 2017 release of Loretta's third album with John Carter, titled Wouldn't It Be Great, was delayed when she suffered a stroke.
An announcement about Loretta's memorial is expected in the coming days.
Source-ABC
Pitch Competition at Made in TCI 2022
The Department of Trade, Industry, and Fair Competition will be hosting a "Pitch Me!" Competition at the National Trade Show dubbed “Made In TCI” on October 29, 2022, at the Stubbs Diamond Plaza in the Bight, Providenciales.
The aim of Pitch Me! is to inspire start-ups and MSMEs interested in business expansion to develop original business proposals and to effectively communicate those proposals to judges, potential investors, and customers. This is projected to help stimulate a new wave of business growth throughout the Turks and Caicos Islands. Participants will also have a chance to win cash prizes – 1st prize ($5,000), 2nd prize ($2,500), and 3rd prize ($1,000) along with other prizes that promote business development
The Department of Trade invites participants from across the Turks and Caicos to participate in Pitch Me! by registering HERE: http://bit.ly/3R13KyZ. Potential participants must meet the following criteria:
· Must be 16 years and older
· Must be a Turks and Caicos Islander
The rules for the Pitch Me! Competition can be accessed on the Department of Trade’s website: www.gov.tc/trade.
Registration is free of charge. Deadline for registration is October 14, 2022.
Invest TCI attends the 26th World Investment Conference 2022 organised by WAIPA
The 26th chapter of the World Investment Conference (WIC) took place September 13th - 14th, 2022, in Geneva, Switzerland. This year’s event was held under India’s presidency on the overarching theme of “Investment Promotion Agencies (IPAs) Shaping the Future of Foreign Direct Investments (FDI).” The conference was attended in person by over 350 representatives from 104 countries representing a 7.25 billion population. In addition to IPAs, the guestlist included heads of multilateral, executives of global private sector companies, and start-ups. Officials from UNCTAD, ILO, World Bank, OECD, and OACPS were present during the event. The event was live-streamed in over 100 member countries.
Hosted since 1995, WIC is the World Association for Investment Promotion Agencies’s (WAIPA) annual flagship event and a key forum where IPAs, multilateral, and the private sector convene to address current economic and social issues that may affect global investment flows and other strategic and policy considerations. It is one of the largest gatherings of IPAs from least developed and developing countries.
WIC 2022 witnessed the launch of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)Portal for African, the Caribbean, and Pacific Regions, International Solar Alliance (ISA) Startup Challenge, WAIPA Community Platform, WAIPA–United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Sustainability Initiative & WAIPA Business Advisory Board. Panel discussions were held on issues disrupting the world economy today, such as Digital FDI, Sustainability & Impact FDI, Evolution of Global Value Chains, and Creation of Investable Projects. Masterclasses were organized to attract sustainable investments and transform communities through innovation.
CEO Angela Musgrove and Sheryl McLaughlin, Investment Service Executive, attended the conference on behalf of Invest TCI. Mrs. Musgrove participated in the WIC Talks presentations. This 10-minute engagement with the audience gave insight into the investment potential and opportunities that lie within the beauty of our islands. Mrs. Musgrove commented on the event, “Invest Turks and Caicos is a member of WAIPA; participation in this year’s event would be the first since confirmation of membership. This year’s event provided an ideal opportunity to amass greater awareness of the global economic landscape and its impact on the economic sectors of the islands. The event provided an opportunity for Invest TCI investment facilitation staff to keep abreast of current industry trends and practices while embracing opportunities to engage in discussions on business opportunities in the TCI. It provided the platform to discuss current economic and social issues affecting global investment flows and other strategic and policy considerations.”
Mr. Patrik Wermelinger, Head of Investment Promotion, Switzerland Global Enterprise & Vice President, WAIPA, highlighted that WAIPA brings together the top national IPAs. “We congratulate WAIPA on this valuable platform that makes it possible for all of us to share our ideas and learnings with the aim to help everyone become more successful for their individual country. This is very much in aim with the spirit of Switzerland, which is committed to advanced international cooperation and dialogue among nations.”
TURKS AND CAICOS POST CABINET MEETING STATEMENT
His Excellency the Governor, Nigel Dakin, chaired the 26th meeting of the Cabinet on Friday 23 September 2022 at the Governor’s Residence on Grand Turk.
All Members were present, with the exception of the Hon Minister for Immigration deployed for disaster recovery work on the islands of North Caicos and Middle Caicos and the Hon Ministers of Tourism and Health who are out of the country.
At this meeting Cabinet:
· Moved to Grand Turk, the most affected island, and also held the NEOC post-strike meeting. From that update, the Cabinet met on an emergency basis to issue directives around an immediate response. Cabinet was given an update on the state of all islands in the Turks and Caicos Islands chain, the immediate response by public and private agencies, and external military support. In noting key areas requiring attention, Cabinet both noted the speed of response and that matters could have been far worse. The Cabinet was updated on the visit by the Governor and the Premier to deliver water and supplies and check on the people living there.
· Noted policy and processes in place through the legal framework to deliver necessary contracting, relief supplies, and a disaster recovery framework and decision-making structure required for the TCI Government to be able to prioritize funding, and work to be carried out in response to the recovery work post-Hurricane Fiona.
Members agreed on the formation of a national recovery and resilience board to lead on short and long-term work required to address natural disasters and resilience.
Members agreed on processes required for non-Governmental and humanitarian organizations to enter the Turks and Caicos Islands to provide relief and support in times of disaster recovery.
· Discussed the re-prioritization of TCI Government funded project work and agreed on next steps.
· Was updated on the Premier’s visit to London, reception with HRH King Charles III, and meetings with Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office and Home Office ministers on the issue of crime and security in the TCI in particular.
Further information on these matters will be provided by Ministers in due course.
Cardi B loses "multi-million dollar" deal
Cardi B is hoping fans learn from her mistakes.
Taking to Twitter, the "Up" rapper said that she lost out on a very lucrative deal due to her recent legal woes.
"My stupid decisions from the past caused me to miss out on money now," Cardi tweeted on Tuesday. "I had a multi-million dollar Call of Duty deal on the table that I couldn’t take because of court."
"Guys think twice about those quick decisions! Lesson learned," she added.
In a later tweet, Cardi explained, "I couldn’t make it cause of court a couple of weeks ago …I wasn’t able to do the shoot on time."
Cardi, 29, recently resolved a criminal assault case that stemmed from two fights at New York City clubs. After pleading guilty she was sentenced to 15 days of community service.
Source-ABC
LL Cool J, MC Hammer, Weird Al Yankovic and others pay tribute to Coolio
Following the news of "Gangsta's Paradise" rapper Coolio's death on Wednesday, tributes poured in for the multi-hyphenate entertainer, from LL Cool J, MC Hammer, and more.
Among them was Weird Al Yankovic, whose "Amish Paradise" -- a spoof of Coolio's Billboard #1 hit -- sparked a feud between the two. They later made up. Yankovic tweeted a photo of the two hugging with the caption, "RIP Coolio."
Others also paid their respects:
MC. Hammer: “One of the nicest dudes I’ve known.”
The Roots drummer Questlove: "Peaceful Journey Brother."
LL Cool J: "Rest in power my brother, @Coolio Love & Respect."
Blondie's Debbie Harry: "Rest in power Coolio."
Chuck D: "Also born on Aug 1st …Coolio was a @hiphopgods MC from LowProfile on up. We did a parody film Burn Hollywood Burn 1997 where I threw in acting because we sought the score & soundtrack. We were called the Brothers @Coolio had plenty funny real stories #RestInBeats."
Ice Cube: "This is sad news. I witness firsthand this man’s grind to the top of the industry. Rest In Peace."
Martin Lawrence: "My deepest condolences and prayers go out to the family of @Coolio."
Vince Staples: "RIP Coolio."
Matthew A. Cherry: "Rest In Peace Coolio. See you when you get there."
Juicy J: "Rip Coolio the legend."
Denzel Curry: "Rest in Gangsta's Paradise Coolio."
Flavor Flav: "Coolio was the West Coast Flavor Flav,,, He loved telling everyone that. We was supposed to perform together this Tuesday. #RIP my friend."
Tropical Storm Ian costs Jamaica $360 million
It is costing an estimated $360 million in Jamaica to clear roads that were flooded and blocked by trees and other debris as a result of rains associated with Tropical Storm Ian, which pelted the island between Saturday and Monday.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness, who made the disclosure in a statement to Parliament on Wednesday, said this figure represents very preliminary estimates to "reopen roads and make surfaces driveable".
"It might increase a little bit more, but thankfully it is not in the billions; the cost of permanent repairs are being assessed and over the next two weeks I will update Parliament as to what those will be," he said.
"Certainly, for the repair of retaining walls that have been destroyed those costs might be a little bit more, but, again, we are not expecting to see a billion-dollar bill for repairs," he said in reference to the usually high figure to repair damage resulting from extreme weather conditions in Jamaica.
According to the prime minister, based on the cost outlined, it is not expected that there will be any significant new budget allocations for the repairs. "So the National Works Agency [NWA] would have to look in its budget to see how these repairs can be addressed," he said.
In the meantime, Holness said the NWA has reported that parishes hardest hit were St Catherine and Clarendon, however, Kingston and St Andrew, St Elizabeth, Westmoreland, Trelawny, and Portland were also significantly impacted by the system.
Many areas were flooded while others experienced landslides, fallen trees, and scoured road surfaces, while the rains left some communities marooned, especially those in low-lying and flood-prone areas along the southern coast.
Holness said that in the aftermath of the flooding rain, the NWA mobilized equipment and personnel to clear blocked roads and restore access to communities. He said the agency is now undertaking a rapid assessment to determine the full extent of the impact of the rains as well as to enable the determination of additional remedial measures.
"Primary consideration has been given to those corridors along which first responders, such as the Jamaica Public Service, National Water Commission [NWC], and Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management [ODPEM], would be required to use. So those areas have been cleared, and in clearing these areas, this would include the clearing of debris and other materials that would've washed on the roads and any landslides," the prime minister said.
Source-Jamaica Observer
Hurricane Ian makes landfall
Hurricane Ian made landfall near Fort Meyers on Wednesday as a Category 4 storm.
The storm has since been downgraded to a Category 3 storm according to the National Hurricane Center, but maximum sustained winds are still over 100 miles per hour with water levels in Fort Myers reaching more than 7 feet.
President Joe Biden coordinated with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis late Tuesday, marking the first time the two leaders had spoken about the storm.
"We've approved every request Florida has made for temporary assistance, emergency assistance and long-term assistance that I've received," the president said. Biden also delivered a warning to oil and gas companies. “Do not use this as an excuse to raise gasoline prices or gouge the American people,” he said.
The president will be visiting FEMA headquarters in Washington for an update on the storm’s impact.
Source-ABC
Queen Elizabeth II's cause of death revealed
The cause of Queen Elizabeth II's death was old age, according to the U.K.-based Press Association, which quoted her death certificate.
The queen, who died on September 8 as the longest-reigning monarch in British history, was 96.
According to the document, Queen Elizabeth II officially passed away at 3:10 p.m. GMT at her summer home, Scotland's Balmoral Castle. The queen's eldest daughter, Princess Anne, was the informant of her death, which is the technical term for the person providing information about the decedent on a death certificate.
Source-ABC