MAY IS FOSTER CARE MONTH
The month of May is not only Mental Health Month, but it is also Foster Care Month. The Department of Social Development and Welfare, along with the Ministry of Home Affairs, joins the rest of the world in
celebrating National Foster Care Month under the theme “Relative and Kin Connections: Keeping Families Strong”.
The Department expressed the importance of foster care saying that as a community, it is crucial that we come together to recognize the important role foster care parents play in caring for children who have experienced trauma, abuse, neglect, and supporting family reunification.
They went on to say that this month, we must focus on the importance of kinship care, identifying and strengthening family connections and maintaining positive community ties which can make all the difference in the lives of children.
The department mentioned the activities for this month will focus on the importance of foster care. For the month the May, they will provide educational workshops with current foster care parents; self-care or Health and Wellness Day for foster care parents and foster care children; and a Recruitment Drive and Community Awareness Campaign
POLICE NEWS IN THE CAPITAL & CITY
In the early hours of this morning, Monday 9th May, a series of gunshots were heard in the North Back Salina area of Grand Turk, where a young male has become the victim of gun violence.
The Police reported that they are currently investigating the murder of the young male who was shot several times. The identity of the victim has not yet been divulged to the public.
On Sunday, at about 12:30am, it was reported that a sloop had landed at Northwest Point when a boat was found on the shore. The police also reported that whilst the vessel was detected by the Coastal Radar Station, the vessel was too close to the coast to be intercepted by the RTCIPF Marine Branch, despite the Police boat being in the area at the time.
The Police and Immigration Enforcement were subsequently deployed to Northwest Point after several suspected illegal migrants were seen in the area.
Later that day at around 8:30pm, the Coastal Radar Station alerted the Police Control Room that they were tracking a target seven miles off the coast of Providenciales. The RTCIPF Marine Branch subsequently intercepted a boat carrying suspect illegal migrants at just after 9pm.
The vessel and persons were detained and brought into South Dock. The Police reported that forty-nine persons, including three children were handed over to the Immigration Enforcement Team and taken to the Immigration Detention Centre.
On Saturday, 7th May, at about 3:41am as police officers were on patrol, they conducted a stop and search on a male who was seen in the vicinity of the First Caribbean Roundabout. The police reported that during the search, two laptops, along with other items were found in a backpack that the man was carrying.
Police Officers subsequently made inquiries and discovered that the said laptops were stolen from a location along Leeward Highway, which appeared to have been burglarized.
The male was then arrested on Suspicion of Burglary, and the case remains an active burglary investigation.
Golden State Warriors dominate Memphis Grizzlies, Milwaukee Bucks edge out Boston Celtics
Stephen Curry, Jordan Poole and Klay Thompson combined for 78 points as the Golden State Warriors dominated the Memphis Grizzlies to lead their Western Conference semi-final series.
In the first one-sided game of the best-of-seven series, the Warriors won 142-112 to take a 2-1 lead.
In the Eastern Conference play-offs, the Milwaukee Bucks edged out the Boston Celtics 103-101.
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 42 points as the Bucks moved 2-1 ahead.
The Celtics had mounted a late comeback in Saturday's game three, bouncing back from 13 points adrift to take a one-point lead with one minute and 49 seconds remaining courtesy of Jaylen Brown's pair of free throws.
But Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday put the Bucks back ahead, a lead they didn't again relinquish despite late attempts from the Celtics with Al Horford landing what would have been a game-tying basket milliseconds after the buzzer had sounded.
In San Francisco, Curry made a team-high 30 points, while Thompson added 21 and Poole 27 off the bench in the Warriors win.
Curry's total was the fourth time in these play-offs that he had made 30, and moved him past Paul Pierce and Kevin McHale into 21st place on the NBA's all-time post-season scoring list.
The Grizzlies' Ja Morant led the game with 34 points but had to miss the final six minutes after appearing to clash knees with Poole.
Grizzlies' coach Taylor Jenkins later said Poole had "grabbed his knee and yanked it", with Morant later tweeting - and deleting - that Poole had "broke the code".
Poole denied he had intentionally hurt his opponent.
"I hit the ball and I was going for the ball. Obviously, you don't want to see anybody get hurt. I'm not even that type of player. I respect everybody," he said.
"Hopefully he gets better, and we can see him out there next game. I don't even play like that for real. That's not my type [of] game."
Source-BBC
Bahamas registered near 14 per cent economic growth in 2021
The Bahamian economy exhibited a measured pace of recovery during 2021, the Central Bank of the Bahamas (CBB) has said.
In its just released 2021 Annual Report, the CBB said that the domestic economy registered a growth of 13.7 per cent last year, following a coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic-related 23.8 per cent contraction in 2020.
“Amid widespread vaccination efforts and the gradual easing of globally imposed travel restrictions, a recovery commenced in tourism output, led by a rebound in the high value-added air segment and joined later in the year by a restart of cruise activity.
“Several varied-scaled foreign investment-led projects and to a lesser extent continued post-hurricane reconstruction works, provided support to the construction sector, and by extension to economic growth.”
The Central Bank said that average consumer prices firmed during the year, reflecting the pass-through effects of higher global oil prices and other costlier imports.
It said that indications are that unemployment remained above pre-COVID levels, though significant workforce re-engagement began in the tourism plant, with impact also from sustained construction activities.
The CBB said that the fiscal deficit-to-gross domestic product (GDP) ratio rose to an estimated 12.8 per cent in financial year 2020-21 from 7.2 per cent in the previous financial year, as the tax base contracted over the height of the lockdown, while expenditure growth was necessary on health sector infrastructure and social services associated with the pandemic, combined with outlays still for the reconstruction of key infrastructure, following the 2019 major hurricane.
At the end of December last year, the Government’s Direct Charge-to-GDP ratio firmed to an estimated 92.1 per cent from 97.1 per cent in 2020. The National Debt-to-GDP ratio stood at an estimated 95.6 per cent at end-December, a decrease of six percentage points over the 12-month period.
The Central bank said that external reserves expanded by US$50.6 million or 2.1 per cent to US $2,432.8 million during the year, a moderation from the US$624.1 million (35.5 per cent) accumulation in the preceding period, which had included net proceeds from government’s external borrowings. It said the import cover ratio narrowed to 36.8 weeks, from 56.8 weeks in 2020, but exceeded the 12 weeks benchmark.
The Bahamian Dollar Digital Currency Regulations, 2021 were gazetted and passed into law in November, 2021. Along with progress on the technology platform, this has set the stage for a more accelerated push for national adoption of the Sand Dollar in 2022, the CBB said.
“With the improving outlook for tourism inflows, the foreign exchange conservation measures that were implemented at the start of the pandemic were relaxed in 2021. The moratorium placed on the consideration of new licence applications for payment services providers and money transmission businesses remained in effect during the year, and is expected to be extended through to September, 2022.”
The CBB said that the credit bureau transitioned to live operations on 30th April, 2021, marking the onset of data submission to the bureau by domestic lending institutions.
The annual report, which provides an examination of the economic and financial environment, locally and internationally, the CBB said that global lockdowns to contain the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) eased, given aggressive vaccine campaigns, resulting in a rebound in the tourism sector, albeit still below pre-COVID-19 levels.
“The strengthening in tourism output was mostly supported by the rebound in the high value-added air segment. A seasonal upswing in sea traffic was also noted, though restarting at a much later point during the calendar year, and with more deliberately constrained occupancy rates,” said CBB Governor John A. Rolle.
He said in addition, a number of small to medium-scale foreign investment projects undergirded activity in the construction sector.
“As private sector lending conditions remained subdued, monetary developments featured further build-up in both bank liquidity and external reserves. However, the pass through inflows to both aggregates from public sector debt operations were moderated, as the Government’s external borrowings narrowed in comparison to 2020.”
The CBB said that although credit quality metrics weakened further, given the pandemic’s continuing influence, the adjustment was more tempered, with losses related to bad debt provisioning also significantly curtailed.
According to the Central Bank, in the fiscal sector, the deficit widened significantly for the financial year 2020-21 as the COVID-19 related disruption in economic activities led to a falloff in revenue collections.
“However, for the first half of financial year 2021-22, the deficit narrowed considerably, underpinned by a value added tax (VAT)-led growth in total revenue, which outweighed the expansion in aggregate expenditure,” Rolle said.
Source-CMC
White House names first black press secretary
President Biden has named Karine Jean-Pierre as his new top spokesperson - the first time a black, or openly gay, person has held the role.
Ms Jean-Pierre, 44, has served as the administration's principal deputy press secretary since Mr Biden was elected.
She will replace outgoing press secretary Jen Psaki, 43, in the top role at the end of next week.
Press secretaries conduct daily news briefings with White House reporters, meaning the role can be high-profile.
Ms Psaki is taking up a job at the left-leaning MSNBC cable news outlet.
On Twitter, she called her successor a "remarkable woman" with "a moral core".
"I can't wait to see her shine as she brings her own style, brilliance and grace to the podium," she said.
The White House press secretary is a presidential administration's face to the national media and, by extension, to the country and the world.
The individual can become an instantly recognisable figure in times of national crises or political scandal. They often develop cult-like followings among some - and are the butt of jokes for others.
For the first time in US history, the face of an administration will be that of a black woman, and of one who is openly gay.
The groundbreaking announcement underscores a Biden administration that has placed an emphasis on putting black women - frequently considered an essential, but politically invisible part of the Democratic Party coalition - in positions of power.
She joins Vice-President Kamala Harris, incoming Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, Domestic Policy Council chair Susan Rice, UN
Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, and a handful of other officials and judges in prominent roles.
While press secretaries do not set policy, they help shape the public perception of an administration. Jean-Pierre has a challenging high-wire act ahead of her.
Ms Jean-Pierre, previously an analyst at MSNBC, brings more than two decades of experience in Democratic politics to the role.
Born on the French Caribbean island of Martinique and raised in Queens, New York, she was a key political director in the Obama administration.
During the 2016 presidential election, she was the national spokeswoman for MoveOn, a major liberal advocacy group.
Before joining the White House press team, she served as chief of staff to Kamala Harris, after she was chosen as Mr Biden's vice-presidential nominee.
Ms Jean-Pierre's appointment comes ahead of crucial mid-term elections this November that will determine how the rest of Mr Biden's presidency turns out.
Source-BBC
Gucci stores to accept cryptocurrencies in US
Italian luxury brand Gucci will start accepting payments in cryptocurrencies in some of its stores in America.
Customers will be able to pay using a number of cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum and Litecoin.
The service will be rolled out later this month at some of its flagship outlets, including Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles and New York's Wooster Street.
Gucci, owned by France's Kering, joins a growing number of companies that have started to accept virtual currencies.
The firm said it will also take payments in Shiba Inu and Dogecoin - a so-called "meme" cryptocurrency that was originally created as a joke.
Customers paying in stores with cryptocurrencies will be sent an email with a QR code to use with a digital asset wallet - a financial transaction app that runs on mobile devices.
QR - or quick response - codes are the black and white, barcode-like squares that can be read by mobile phones and have been used increasingly widely since the start of the pandemic.
The brand said it plans to introduce the policy to all the North American stores it operates directly in the near future.
The announcement by such a high-profile brand marks another step forward for the acceptance of cryptocurrencies by mainstream businesses.
Gucci is the latest big name to announce that it will take cryptocurrency as payment.
Some of the world's biggest brands now accept digital currencies, including technology giant Microsoft, US telecoms firm AT&T and coffee chain Starbucks.
In the last year Bitcoin has also become legal tender in two countries - El Salvador and the Central African Republic.
Since El Salvador said it would allow consumers to use the cryptocurrency in all transactions, alongside the US dollar, the International Monetary Fund has urged it to reverse its decision.
Source-BBC
PUBLIC FORECAST FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT MONDAY 09TH MAY 2022
GENERAL SITUATION:A WEAKENING FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL MERGE WITH A STRONG SURFACE TROUGH ACROSS THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS TODAY BEFORE DRIFTING SOUTHEASTWARD THROUGH THE NIGHT.
TODAY'S FORECAST IS CLOUDY TO OVERCAST WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HEAVY TO SEVERE AT TIMES THROUGH TONIGHT
ADVISORY: GUSTY WINDS AND HIGHER SEAS IN OR NEAR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
WINDS: LIGHT AND VARIABLE BECOMING NORTHEAST AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS IN THE CENTRAL ISLANDS TONIGHT
SEAS: 2 TO 4 FEET BUILDING UP TO 6 FEET IN NORTHEASTERLY SWELLS TONIGHT
DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURE 84°F 29°C OVERNIGHT LOW TEMPERATURE 70°F 21°C
SUNSET: 7:43 PM MOONRISE: 1:31 PM HIGH TIDE: 3:09 PM & 3:29 AM TUE.
SUNRISE: 6:27 TUE AM MOONSET: 2:57 AM TUE. LOW TIDE: 9:12 PM & 10:00 AM TUE
WEATHER OUTLOOK:THE STALLED SURFACE TROUGH WILL CONTINUE TO CREATE UNSETTLED WEATHER ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS, WHILE A BUILDING HIGH PRESSURE WILL SUPPORT FRESH WINDS AND HAZARDOUS SEA CONDITIONS ACROSS THE NORTHWEST AND CENTRAL ISLANDS TOMORROW.
Tony Nominees: A Strange Loop, MJ, Jesse Williams, Uzo Aduba, Phylicia Rashad and more
Nominations for the 2022 Tony Awards are in, and leading the pack this year with 11 nominations is Michael R. Jackson's "Big, Black & Queer American Musical," A Strange Loop.
The Pulitzer Prize-winning play -- which made its world premiere in 2019 and its Broadway debut on April 26 of this year -- earned recognition in categories such as Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score and Best Musical.
A Strange Loop follows Usher who, according to Playwrights Horizons, "is a black, queer writer, working a day job he hates while writing his original musical: a piece about a black, queer writer, working a day job he hates while writing his original musical."
Closely following Michael R. Jackson's multi-award winning play is a musical based on another Jackson: MJ, centered around Michael Jackson's life and music, which earned 10 nominations, including Best Musical. MJ is also up for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, for Myles Frost's portrayal of the superstar.
Nominated for Best Actress in a Featured Role is Broadway star Kenita R. Miller for for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf. The Ntozake Shange production which originally premiered in 1976, earned seven total nominations including Best Revival of a Play.
Also recognized for Best Revival is Take Me. Having won the coveted Best Play award in 2003, the baseball coming-out story is nominated this year in three other categories, including Best Actor in a Featured Role, which recognizes Grey's Anatomy alum Jesse Williams.
Phylicia Rashad and Uzo Aduba are nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role for their work in Skeleton Crew and Clyde's.
The 75th annual Tony Awards will take place live from Radio City Music Hall in New York on Sunday, June 12 at 8 p.m. on CBS.
Source-ABC
Haitian government denies issuing state of emergency
Haiti has denied issued a state of security emergency even as a human rights group reported that rival gang warfare has led to many deaths and a reminder to the government that it is “its responsibility to ensure the safety of the population, to protect lives and property”.
In a brief statement, the Communication Office of the Primature said it was informing the general population and the press in particular that the government “has not decreed a state of security emergency, contrary to rumours and the false Order text, circulating on social networks”.
It gave no further details, but former legislator, Carl Murat Cantave, said people in this French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country are “fed up” and “are only hungry for security”.
“Consensus today is becoming an empty, outdated, inappropriate, illusory, operational word. It is only a simple artifice for one and the other. Ladies and gentlemen, the people are fed up, they are only hungry for security. Everything else is just nonsense,” the former senator said.
Haiti has been plagued with criminal activities, including kidnappings and earlier this week, the abductors have released at least three people.
Those released include businessman Jean-Marc Antoine, who was kidnapped last Sunday, accompanied by his son has been released. The conditions of his release were given.
Kidnappers have also released the chief executive officer of the ALMA funeral directors, Alcero Marc Arthur, after an unspecified ransom had been paid.
Meanwhile, the Citizen Protection Office (OPC), said that since April 24, 2022, the commune of Croix-des-Bouquets has been the scene of violent armed clashes between rival gangs for the control of territory, particularly the neighbourhoods of Bon Repos, Shadda, Damien, Santo, and Butte Boyer.
It said that the situation has worsened with another set of criminal gangs getting involved adding that up to May 2, “it was difficult to have an exact toll of the victims of this war between rival gangs”.
But the human rights group said that the first information reported several dozen people were killed and wounded, many homes were burnt and hundreds of people being displaced.
The OPC said that because of these armed conflicts, traffic is interrupted, thus blocking communication between the departments of Ouest, Artibonite, Nord, Nord-Est, Northwest and Center.
It said that since June 1 last year, the same situation has been observed in the districts of Martissant where access from Port-au-Prince to the departments of South, South-East, Nippes and Grand’Anse has been cut for 11 months.
“Everything is happening under the eyes and the great silence of the authorities and institutions responsible for ensuring the safety of lives and property, despite the calls for help from the inhabitants of the conflict zones. The people are on their own,” the OPC said, adding “for more than eight days, not a message or action both from the government and from the Superior Council of the National Police (CSPN)”.
The OPC said it wanted to remind the state that it is “its responsibility to ensure the safety of the population, to protect lives and property” and urges the authorities to take “rapid and urgent measures to restore order and peace in the communes of Croix-des-Bouquets, Cité-Soleil and in the neighbourhoods of Martissant in order to allow all the inhabitants to go about their activities freely and without any worry”.
EDUCATIONAL ITEMS PRESENTED BY HON.OTIS MORRIS FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD CLASSROOMS
The Department of Gender Affairs within the Ministry of Home Affairs, Broadcasting, Energy, Utilities, and The Telecommunications Commission, was delighted to distribute educational materials to the various Early Childhood classrooms within the Government and Private Schools throughout the Turks and Caicos Islands.
The Department's overall aim is to contribute to a solid foundation from early childhood that shapes and develops a supportive learning environment for emergent learners and influences early development through education and play.
The Department of Gender Affairs is proud to be a part of a direct-learning initiative that helps foster new experiences, new words, and new adaptable behaviours through learning, which is an investment toward a more fruitful future. The Department further believes that Early Childhood Education is about honouring and molding the holistic child, eventually forming the basis of their lifelong journey. Therefore, we commit to playing an integral role in this critical stage.
The Minister with responsibilities for the Department of Gender Affairs, Hon. Otis Morris stated, “I am delighted to participate in this ambitious program. It emphasizes the student-centred learning model by having individual learning styles recognized and supported. This approach to learning means that teachers can thoughtfully plan the learning environment by offering many visible choices based on the child's skills and needs.”
He further added that “Early Childhood is so much more than playing. While the primary educational benefits of preschool (such as literacy and numeracy) are tangible, the advances children achieve towards becoming well-rounded individuals are truly invaluable. My Ministry will continue to be a contributing factor to these advancements.”
Principals were contacted regarding this initiative and were allowed to select items based on the priority needs of the individual classes.
The presentation was done in Grand Turk and will continue throughout the Islands over the following weeks.