MOHH CELEBRATES VACCINATION WEEK IN THE AMERICAS 2022
The Ministry of Health and Human Services recently announced that the TCI is joining the regional celebration of Vaccination Week in the Americas (VWA). This year’s celebration from 24th April - 30th April is held under the theme "Are you fully vaccinated? #getallyourshots". This is the 20th year that the Region is celebrating VWA.
The Ministry of Health and Human Services stated that this year the TCI will maintain its focus on protecting the population. They said that the objective of this week is to provide access to vaccines for all residents, increase vaccination coverage in all antigens, and raise awareness about the importance of childhood vaccinations, vaccine safety and effectiveness.
The Ministry explained that the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted immunization program in many countries which has resulted in some countries experiencing outbreaks of VPDs. Neighboring countries, including countries within easy reach of the TCI, are experiencing outbreaks of vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs) such as Diphtheria and Measles, according to the MoHH. Therefore, the Ministry noted the importance of ensuring that the TCI population is well protected.
They also explained that while the TCI has very good immunity (90% and over), they continue to aim for greater coverages and to maintain those coverages.
The Ministry urged persons who are unsure about their protection against VPDs, to seek advice from their primary care physician. Additionally, if their child/children are missing a vaccine(s), the Ministry asked that those persons call their local primary care clinic for an appointment to bring their child/children up to date.
The MOH also reminded persons eligible to be vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine, to get vaccinated, as boosters, including the fourth dose, are available for eligible persons through health care facilities throughout the TCI.
Hamstring puts Roach on sidelines with Bangladesh series on horizon
Ace West Indies seamer Kemar Roach will play no further part in the English County Championship for Surrey, after picking up a hamstring injury last week against Hampshire.
Surrey said Tuesday the 33-year-old had returned to his native Barbados to recuperate after scans confirmed the injury, sustained on day two against Hampshire at the Oval.
Roach sent down 38 balls in Hampshire’s first innings and took no further part in the contest which Surrey eventually won by an innings and 17 runs.
“I’m gutted that my time at Surrey has come to an end due to a slight injury but I want to thank the whole Surrey family for the love and care they have shown,” Roach said on social media.
The Barbadian was expected to feature for Surrey in their first five Championship matches of the season, after returning for a second straight campaign following his success for the London club last year.
He turned out in the season-opener against Warwickshire at Edgbaston, bowling excellently in the first innings to pick up three wickets in the drawn game.
Against Hampshire, he had managed only one wicket before limping off.
Of concern for Roach will be the upcoming two-Test series against Bangladesh scheduled for the Caribbean in June.
He is the leader of the home side’s seam attack and has been in excellent form in the longest format over the last three years.
Only last month, he claimed 11 wickets in the three-Test series against England to help West Indies secure a shock 1-0 victory.
Roach is seventh on the all-time list of West Indies wicket-takers with 242 wickets, and needs only eight wickets to overhaul the legendary Michael Holding in sixth.
Source-CMC
Barbados extends state of emergency as efforts continue to curb spread of new COVID variant
The Barbados Parliament Tuesday gave the green light to a further extension of the state of emergency (SOE) as the island deals with a new wave of cases linked to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Health Minister Ian Gooding-Edghill, who piloted the Resolution on the Emergency Management Act, said that the SOE would remain in effect until September 22.
Gooding-Edghill said the move is necessary due to the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 and the evolving variant, appealing to Barbadians to follow the necessary hygiene measures and mask wearing along with getting vaccinated or the booster shots.
“We still have vaccines and Barbadians are more than capable of going to the various vaccination sites and getting vaccines and boosters as we continue to manage this particular wave of this pandemic,” Gooding-Edghill told legislators.
He said the home isolation programme has worked well and that it complements the isolation facility on the island.
‘We do not have issues with regards to discharge certificates, those matters were put to bed and we will continue to maintain the home isolation policy and ensure that we manage and work very well with Barbadians,” he added.
Last week, Barbados confirmed the presence of the new Omicron BA.2 variant of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic as the island deals with a “dramatic” increase in the number of new COVID-19) cases.
Gooding-Edghill said then that confirmation of the variant had come from the Trinidad-based Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) following the questions that had been raised last week regarding the dramatic increase in new COVID-19 cases and the possible existence of the new BA.2 variant in Barbados.
“Let me remind you that COVID-19 is still with us and is likely to be with us for a long time. Be assured that we have the experience and scientific tools to help us properly manage the impact of COVID-19. The non-pharmaceutical interventions such as mask wearing, physical distancing, good hand hygienic practices and ventilation are critical to reducing the spread of this virus,” he added then.
Meanwhile, Home Affairs and Information Minister, Wilfred Abrahams, has sought to bring some clarity to a new directive where people may now receive a fixed penalty notice o0f BDS$100 (One BDS$=US$0.50 cents) for not wearing a face mask in public.
The measure applies to a public building, public place, or while traveling on a public service vehicle or other public transport; whether as a driver, conductor or passenger.
Abrahams told Parliament that prior to the amendment, the offence was one for which an individual could be arrested and charged a sum of as much as BDS$50,000. But he said having a conviction means an individual has a criminal record and paying the fine means that’s the end of the matter.
“ A lot of people believe that last week the government instituted a fine of BDS$100 for not wearing a mask. This is not an upscale, it is a serious tone down of what obtained prior to last week,” he told legislators.
Barbados has recorded 388 deaths and 64,794 infections linked to the pandemic since the first case was detected in March 2020.
Source-CMC
President Biden expands oil drilling on public land, sparks ire from climate activists
In an effort to combat high gasoline and energy prices, President Joe Biden is bringing back public land leases for oil and gas drilling in the U.S. for auction as soon as Monday -- but the reversal of a 2020 campaign promise has angered climate activists ahead of midterms that will determine Biden's ability to get his agenda through Congress.
The administration is now set to start reselling leases for drilling on public lands -- putting 144,000 acres of lands up for lease in nine states as soon as Monday -- as the president faces massive pressure to boost oil production in the U.S. amid soaring prices partly because of the war in Ukraine, what President Biden calls "Putin's price hike."
To help deflect criticism, the Biden administration is increasing the royalties that companies must pay for this drilling from 12.5 percent to 18.75 percent -- in a first-of-its-kind increase in more than a century.
The Interior Department announced the move on Friday afternoon heading into the holiday weekend.
Source-ABC
Rihanna jets off to Barbados with A$AP Rocky
Rihanna is paying no mind to those rumors claiming she broke up with boyfriend A$AP Rocky. Instead, she hopped on a jet with her love and is vacationing in her native Barbados.
The celebrity couple is shaking off rumors from last week, which claimed A$AP Rocky cheated on the "Umbrella" singer with Fenty shoe designer Amina Muaddi. The report was shot down not only by Muaddi, but also by TMZ.
In addition, the man who started the rumor -- fashion blogger Louis Pisano -- has since retracted his remarks.
Now, Rih and Rocky are putting those rumors further behind them by jetting off to Barbados, reports Page Six. The two, who are expecting a child together, were spotted grabbing dinner and walking side by side. They haven't publicly spoken out about the controversy.
Source-ABC
Pittsburgh Airbnb shooting becomes 139th mass shooting of 2022
In the aftermath of a mass shooting at an Airbnb rental house that left two 17-year-old boys dead and eight people wounded, neighbor Leonard Verdetto described what he said was "rapid fire" followed by panicked party-goers flooding out of the residence.
The episode erupted early Sunday morning across the street from Verdetto's Pittsburgh home, and was one of three mass shootings in the United States over the Easter weekend, including two in South Carolina...at a mall and a restaurant.
The Gun Violence Archive, a website that tracks shootings across the nation, has tallied 139 mass shootings in the country in the first 107 days of 2022. The shooting marked the third time in nine days that gunfire erupted during parties being held at Airbnb rentals, including one near Sacramento, California, which left a teen dead, and another that rocked a suburban Houston residential neighborhood.
The owner of the Pittsburgh Airbnb rental has not been identified, but the listing specifically stated no parties were allowed and that any evidence of a party would result in a $500 fee. Airbnb said in a statement to ABC News that the person who booked the house and held the "unauthorized party" has been issued a lifetime ban from Airbnb. The company is cooperating with the Pittsburgh Police Department's investigation.
Source-ABC
G-24 countries warn of uncertain growth prospects
The Inter-Governmental Group of 24 on International Monetary Affairs and Development (G-24) Tuesday said that the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has imposed huge costs and that man impediments to the global recovery remain, with growth prospects increasingly divergent and uncertain.
Trinidad and Tobago and Haiti are the only two Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries with membership ion the G-24 countries that was established in 1971 as a chapter of the Group of 77 in order to help coordinate the positions of developing countries on international monetary and development finance issues, as well as and to ensure that their interests are adequately represented in negotiations on international monetary matters.
In a statement issued here Tuesday following a high-level meeting of the Group of 24 developing countries, noted that while economic recovery has gathered momentum globally, new shocks and risks confront developing countries still struggling through COVID.
“As we meet, our hearts are deeply saddened by the tragic deaths and devastation in Ukraine. We strongly support international efforts to provide humanitarian support and restore peace and stability and recognize that this crisis intensifies downside risks and undermines economic recovery worldwide,” said Sergio Recinos, President of the Central Bank of Guatemala and Chair of the G-24.
Recinos cautioned that COVID is not defeated. Inflationary pressures are rising, driven by spikes in food, energy and commodity prices and disruptions in supply and trade. And interest rates in advanced countries threaten to drive up rates globally and trigger capital outflows from developing countries, reducing their access to financial markets, and increasing debt vulnerabilities.
He said that all of those factors suggest there will be need for significant new resources for countries in distress.
“Extraordinary actions were taken globally to respond to COVID. There is a feeling that we have barely caught our collective breath, but the period ahead will require equally strong action to support vulnerable countries. This confluence of economic risks will put severe pressure on countries who have already exhausted their resources under COVID,” Recinos said.
He noted that countries confront multiple shocks increasing liquidity financing needs. Constrained fiscal space and high debt burdens limit the ability of vulnerable countries to respond. Urgent global action is needed to prevent hunger and food crises among vulnerable countries and poorer households and avert financial distress in highly indebted developing countries.
Strong multilateral cooperation is crucial to preserve rules-based trade, secure food and energy, protect financial stability, and ensure increased and sustained financing to developing countries in need.
G-24 members argued that a stronger global response is needed to improve vaccine access and that all countries need to act to overcome supply barriers by facilitating cross border flows of vaccine and treatments and by sharing technologies to boost vaccine manufacturing in developing countries. “Advanced countries should ensure adequate funding to meet the global goal of 70 per cent vaccination coverage in all countries by mid-2022.”
The G-24 released a communiqué calling for additional measures to cope with the coming pressures. It emphasized that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will need significant new resources for lending in times of crisis and emerging shocks.
G-24 members urged an increase in the IMF’s quota resources to ensure that it is less dependent on temporary borrowed resources to boost its lending capacity in times of crises. At a time of potentially high liquidity needs in developing countries, failure to deliver a quota increase will result in a sharp decline in the IMF’s available resources as temporary borrowing arrangements expire.
The communiqué called for the World Bank Group (WBG) and other development banks to boost their lending capacity to meet urgent needs to sustain economic recovery.
“We urge the WBG to develop innovative means to assist fragile states that are not eligible to avail of its traditional lending windows but have been severely affected by the pandemic. We welcome the WBG’s timely financial assistance to Ukraine and look forward to its support to other countries harmed by the war. We urge the WBG to extend concessional financing to developing countries experiencing disproportionate migration and refugee flows, including from the impact of the
Ukraine war,” according to the communique.
The G-24 said that the pandemic and tightening financial conditions increase debt distress for highly indebted countries and called for faster debt restructuring under the G20 Common Framework, greater private sector creditor participation in sovereign debt restructuring, and more concessional financing.
The G-24 discussions noted that developing countries are disproportionately afflicted by climate change and called for a greater global financial commitment to ensure a just transition to a low carbon world.
The communiqué noted that “financing to invest in climate change has fallen far short of what is, and will be, needed, while financing gaps are amplified by pressing fiscal constraints and the high and increasing cost of capital.”
G-24 members called on advanced countries to deliver on their US$100 billion commitment to support developing countries urgently and significantly increase this target in the years ahead to match investment needs.
“Going forward, the COP27 climate meeting should aim for an accelerated and ambitious climate finance agenda, a process to track progress in fulfilling financial commitments and the means to bridge financing gaps as needed,” the communique noted.
Source-CMC
Microchip implants that let you pay with your hand
Patrick Paumen causes a stir whenever he pays for something in a shop or restaurant.
This is because the 37-year-old doesn't need to use a bank card or his mobile phone to pay. Instead, he simply places his left hand near the contactless card reader, and the payment goes through.
"The reactions I get from cashiers are priceless!" says Mr Paumen, a security guard from the Netherlands.
He is able to pay using his hand because back in 2019 he had a contactless payment microchip injected under his skin.
"The procedure hurts as much as when someone pinches your skin," says Mr Paumen.
A microchip was first implanted into a human back in 1998, but it is only during the past decade that the technology has been available commercially.
And when it comes to implantable payment chips, British-Polish firm, Walletmor, says that last year it became the first company to offer them for sale.
"The implant can be used to pay for a drink on the beach in Rio, a coffee in New York, a haircut in Paris - or at your local grocery store," says founder and chief executive Wojtek Paprota. "It can be used wherever contactless payments are accepted."
Walletmor's chip, which weighs less than a gram and is little bigger than a grain of rice, is comprised of a tiny microchip and an antenna encased in a biopolymer - a naturally sourced material, similar to plastic.
Mr Paprota adds that it is entirely safe, has regulatory approval, works immediately after being implanted, and will stay firmly in place. It also does not require a battery, or other power source. The firm says it has now sold more than 500 of the chips.
The technology Walletmor uses is near-field communication or NFC, the contactless payment system in smartphones. Other payment implants are based on radio-frequency identification (RFID), which is the similar technology typically found in physical contactless debit and credit cards.
For many of us, the idea of having such a chip implanted in our body is an appalling one, but a 2021 survey of more than 4,000 people across the UK and the European Union found that 51% would consider it.
However, without giving a percentage figure, the report added that "invasiveness and security issues remained a major concern" for respondents.
Mr Paumen says he doesn't have any of these worries.
"Chip implants contain the same kind of technology that people use on a daily basis," he says, "From key fobs to unlock doors, public transit cards like the London Oyster card, or bank cards with contactless payment function.
"The reading distance is limited by the small antenna coil inside the implant. The implant needs to be within the electromagnetic field of a compatible RFID [or NFC] reader. Only when there is a magnetic coupling between the reader and the transponder can the implant can be read."
He adds that he is not concerned that his whereabouts could be tracked.
"RFID chips are used in pets to identify them when they're lost," he says. "But it's not possible to locate them using an RFID chip implant - the missing pet needs to be found physically. Then the entire body gets scanned until the RFID chip implant is found and read."
Yet the issue with such chips, (and what causes concern), is whether in the future they become ever more advanced, and packed full of a person's private data. And, in turn, whether this information is secure, and if a person could indeed be tracked.
Financial technology or fintech, expert Theodora Lau, is co-author of the book Beyond Good: How Technology Is Leading A Business Driven Revolution.
She says that implanted payment chips are just "an extension of the internet of things". By that she means another new way of connecting and exchanging data.
Yet, while she says that many people are open to the idea - as it would make paying for things quicker and easier - the benefit must be weighed up with the risks. Especially as and when embedded chips carry more of our personal information.
"How much are we willing to pay, for the sake of convenience?" she says. "Where do we draw the line when it comes to privacy and security? Who will be protecting the critical infrastructure, and the humans that are part of it?"
Nada Kakabadse, professor of policy, governance and ethics at Reading University's Henley Business School, is also cautious about the future of more advanced embedded chips.
"There is a dark side to the technology that has a potential for abuse," she says. "To those with no love of individual freedom, it opens up seductive new vistas for control, manipulation and oppression.
"And who owns the data? Who has access to the data? And, is it ethical to chip people like we do pets?"
The result, she cautions, could be "the disempowerment of many for the benefits of a few".
Steven Northam, senior lecturer in innovation and entrepreneurship at the University of Winchester, says that the concerns are unwarranted. In addition to his academic work he is the founder of UK firm BioTeq, which has been making implanted, contactless chips since 2017.
Its implants are aimed at people with disabilities who can use the chips to automatically open doors.
"We have daily enquiries," he says, "And have carried out over 500 implants in the UK - but Covid caused some reduction in this."
"This technology has been used in animals for years," he argues. "They are very small, inert objects. There are no risks."
Back in the Netherlands, Mr Paumen describes himself as a "biohacker" - someone who puts pieces of technology into his body to try to improve his performance. He has 32 implants in total, including chips to open doors and imbedded magnets.
"Technology keeps evolving, so I keep collecting more," he says. "My implants augment my body. I wouldn't want to live without them," he says.
"There will always be people who don't want to modify their body. We should respect that - and they should respect us as biohackers."
Source-BBC
Brooklyn Nets' Kyrie Irving fined for obscene gestures and bad language
Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving has been fined $50,000 (£38,000) by the NBA for "making obscene gestures on court and directing profane language to the stands" in their opening play-off game.
The incidents occurred during the Nets' 115-114 defeat at the Boston Celtics on Sunday.
The Boston crowd constantly booed Irving, 30, and he responded by swearing and raising his middle finger.
Irving spent two years in Boston before an acrimonious departure in 2019.
Irving, who scored 39 points at TD Garden, defended his actions after the game, saying: "It's nothing new when I come into this building [in terms of] what it's going to be like - but it's the same energy they have for me, I'm going to have the same energy for them.
"It's not about the fans - the fans aren't playing."
The Nets will hope to even their best-of-seven series when they play game two in Boston on Wednesday.
Source-BBC
TWIN ISLANDS REPRESENTATIVE, HON. ARLINGTON MUSGROVE CONDEMNS DESTRUCTION OF MIDDLE CAICOS BEACH HUTS
The representative of the twin islands, North and Middle Caicos, and Minister of Immigration and Border Services for the ruling Progressive National Party Government, the Honourable Arlington Musgrove, condemns the latest attack on his community, as being sinister and counterproductive to the forward motion that his government is making in the development of the sister islands’ economies.
Last evening the Bambara Beach Huts fell victim to what is widely believed to be an act of arson. The huts were destroyed in a blaze on the popular Middle Caicos Beach, which saw swarms of partygoers descending for the annual Valentine’s Day Boat races each year and again just this past February.
While much cannot be said concerning this incident due to it being the focus of an active investigation led by the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force, the North Caicos native, Hon. Musgrove noted his disappointment, remarking that, “It’s a sad day when we cannot appreciate the heritage of this country and respect the people’s right to enjoy the treasures of it’s history.
“Bambara Beach has been home to many festivals over the years and continues to be a main attraction for the many tourists who visit this beautiful island.
“I hope that those responsible will be uncovered and brought to justice.
“To the people of Middle Caicos and especially the settlement of Bambara, I say do not worry, we will build our beach huts back.”