GRAND TURK CRUISE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME
The Turks and Caicos Islands Government on 15th November 2021 opened its application portal to accept online submissions from eligible Grand Turk Businesses only involved in the Cruise- Tourism Sector; many of whom were impacted by the economic fallout emanating from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Grand Turk Cruise Assistance Programme aims to ensure that service providers in the Cruise-Tourism sector who were severely economically impacted as a result of the sector’s shutdown is provided assistance that will encourage investment in targeted areas and maintain the industry and existing vendors as requisite preparation for the revival of the cruise industry on Grand Turk.
The assistance package aims to provide eligible Grand Turk businesses only with a one-time payment, ranging from $3,500 to $10,000. The policy aims to address the following areas for assistance for the targeted categories:
- Necessary plant and or infrastructure repairs.
- Staff training.
- Upgrade of business software.
- Digitalization of business processes.
- Purchase of business equipment and supplies.
- Enhance business image standards.
Applications will be received online by the Turks & Caicos Islands Government as of 15th November 2021 until 26th November 2021; unless otherwise directed by the Permanent Secretary of the designated Ministry.
To qualify for the assistance, the applicant must satisfy the following criteria:
- The Business must be licensed under the Turks and Caicos Islands Business Licensing Ordinance, as set out in the table below:
|
Category |
ID |
Activity |
|
Automotive |
106 |
Motor Vehicle Rental |
|
Agriculture, Manufacturing & Processing |
136 |
Native Art and Craft Specialty Stores (Wholesale/Retail) |
|
Personal Care Services |
352 |
Hair Braiding (Beach) |
|
179 |
Spa/Massage Parlors and Body Works |
|
|
Transportation Services |
185 |
Bus Services – Mass Transport |
|
193 |
Taxi Services |
|
|
196 |
VIP Transport |
|
|
Entertainment, Recreation and Events |
226 |
Event Planning and Coordination |
|
Tourism, Real Estate & Hospitality Services |
242 |
Eco-Heritage Tours and Camping Site Operations |
|
248 |
Land Based Tour Operation |
|
|
256 |
Provision of Tourism Services - Other |
|
|
357 |
Water Sports |
|
|
358 |
Water Sports Equipment Sales and Rentals |
|
|
263 |
Water Tours – Less than 30ft. (Per boat) |
|
|
264 |
Water Tours – Over 30ft. (Per boat) |
- The Business must not be wholly or majority owned or subsidiaries of a larger company.
- Majority owned by Turks and Caicos Island Status Holder/s or British Overseas Territory Citizen/s.
- Operating an existing business.
- The Applicant must have been licensed to operate in the financial year 2019/2020 or 2020/2021and currently possess a business licence for financial year 2021/2022. For the purpose of businesses under transportation Services category, in the table above, applicants must also provide a public service vehicle licence for financial year 2019/2020 or 2020/2021 and a public service vehicle licence for financial year 2021/2022
- The Applicant’s business activity must be operational in the island of Grand Turk.
Applicants are advised that incomplete applications will not be processed. Therefore, it is important that you ensure that you read the instructions on how to fill the application to understand clearly what is needed, inclusive of the evidence to be provided.
Applicants will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible following the submission of their applications. Successful applicants will receive an approval letter issued by the Turks and Caicos Islands Government. A single payment will be made by the Grand Turk Government Treasury directly to the applicant via cheque. The approved applicant will be required to present photo identification showing either BOTC or Turks & Caicos Islands status.
All grant payments will be required to be collected within one month of being printed, to avoid the grant from being cancelled and withdrawn.
PREMIER AND DEPUTY PREMIER TO ATTEND JOINT MINISTERIAL COUNCIL 2021 IN LONDON
The Premier Honourable Charles Washington Misick and Deputy Premier and Minister for Finance, Investment and Trade Honourable Erwin Jay Saunders will be joining other Overseas Territory (OT) leaders to meet with Her Majesty’s Government in London, United Kingdom for the annual Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) 15 -18 November 2021.
The Premier and Deputy Premier at the three-day series of meetings will have the opportunity to the meet with the new Minister for OTs the Rt Hon Amanda Milling, within the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), other UK Government Ministers and MPs, senior UK Government officials and OT colleagues.
The Premier will also have the opportunity to highlight in-country challenges, successes and concerns during a special meeting with the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG).
Meetings will be focused on a number a pertinent issues and concerns prevalent throughout OTs including:
· Environmental Protection and Ocean Preservation
· Climate Change Adaptation
· Border Protection, National Security and Law Enforcement
· Economic Diversification and Resilience
· Strengthening UK-OT Relationships
The Turks and Caicos Islands will also have the opportunity to highlight domestic issues and challenges during a bi-lateral meeting. On the agenda for this meeting is the possibility of introducing a biennial budget as opposed to an annual budget to allow for more timely delivery on critical Government projects.
Important dialogue is also planned to discuss disputes regarding the Turks and Caicos Islands exclusive economic zone (EEZ) – the resolution and settlement of which, will aid in the diversification of the TCI economy through the expansion of TCI’s fishing industry.
Discussions at this bilateral meeting will also focus on the de-risking by financial institutions, of critical sectors of the TCI economy. As the UK holds responsibility for the regulation of the financial services sector in the Turks and Caicos, discussions will be centered on sector performance and compliance to meet UK mandated requirements and global standards; and exploring avenues to satisfy Banks risk and concerns for onboarding various economic sectors.
The Turks and Caicos Islands has a significant diaspora currently living and/or studying in the UK. Premier Misick and Deputy Premier Saunders has extended an invitation to meet with TCI residents and students living in the UK during this trip, to hear their concerns and to provide updates on TCI Government initiatives and performance for financial year 2021-22 and beyond.
Joining the Premier and Deputy Premier at this year’s JMC are Deputy Secretary and Head of Secretariat for the Office of the Premier and Public Policy, Mr Miquel Swann and Ms Denika Been, TCI London Office Representatives, Mrs Tracy Knight (Head of Office) and Mr Kimo Tynes, Executive Administrator for Ministry of Finance, Trade and Investment Ms Lareesa Robinson and Mr Aaron Garland, Office Administrator for the Office of the Premier and Public Policy.
US President Joe Biden tightens restrictions on Huawei and ZTE
US President Joe Biden has signed legislation that stops companies judged to be a security threat from receiving new telecoms equipment licences.
The Secure Equipment Act says the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) should no longer review applications from companies ruled a threat.
It means equipment from Huawei, ZTE and three other Chinese companies cannot be used in US telecoms networks.
Democrat and Republican senators all approved the bill.
It was voted in unanimously by the Senate on 28 October, after passing through the House of Representatives with 420 votes in favour and only four against it.
In March, the FCC said it had identified five Chinese companies that posed a threat to national security under a 2019 law designed to protect US communications networks.
It named Huawei and ZTE, as well as Hytera Communications Corp, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co, and Zhejiang Dahua Technology Co.
However, the FCC was not required to reject the companies' applications to be used in US networks.
FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr said the regulator had approved more than 3,000 applications from Huawei since 2018.
He said the Secure Equipment Act would "help to ensure that insecure gear from companies like Huawei and ZTE can no longer be inserted into America's communications networks".
China has been critical of the crackdown.
"The United States, without any evidence, still abuses national security and state power to suppress Chinese companies," Zhao Lijian, a spokesperson at China's foreign ministry, said in June.
The FCC has also proposed new rules that would let it revoke licences that have already been granted.
Last month, the FCC voted to withdraw permission for China Telecom's US subsidiary to operate in the United States, citing national security concerns.
President Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping are expected to hold a virtual meeting next week.
Source-BBC
Climate deal sounds the death for coal power according to - UK.PM
The Glasgow climate deal is a "game-changing agreement" which sounds "the death knell for coal power", Boris Johnson says.
Although countries only agreed to "phase down" rather than "phase out" coal, the prime minister said this was a fantastic achievement.
The wording change was made after a late intervention by China and India.
But it remains the first time plans to reduce coal have been mentioned in such a climate deal.
The agreement was reached after the two-week Glasgow COP26 summit went into overtime on Saturday.
Critics have said the deal does not go far enough and will not meet the key summit goal of limiting global warming to 1.5C by the end of the century.
Scientists say this would limit the worst impacts of climate change.
During a Downing Street news conference, Mr Johnson said:
-"We can lobby, we can cajole, we can encourage, but we cannot force sovereign nations to do what they do not wish to do"
-"For all our disagreements, the world is undeniably heading in the right direction"
-The "tipping point has been reached in people's attitudes" - with leaders "galvanised and propelled by their electorates"
-But "the fatal mistake now would be to think that we in any way cracked this thing"
Mr Johnson said that despite the achievements of the summit, his reaction was "tinged with disappointment".
He said there had been a high level of ambition - especially from countries where climate change was already "a matter of life and death".
And "while many of us were willing to go there, that wasn't true of everybody", he admitted.
But he added the UK could not compel nations to act. "It's ultimately their decision to make and they must stand by it."
Mr Johnson also said he thought the watered-down language on coal did not "make that much of a difference", adding that the direction of travel was "pretty much the same".
He said most of Western Europe and North America had been persuaded to pull the plug on financial support for overseas fossil fuel projects by this time next year.
"And when you add all that together, it is beyond question, Glasgow has sounded the death knell for coal power," he said.
Speaking alongside the PM, COP26 president Alok Sharma revealed that at one point during the final negotiations, he had feared the agreement was in jeopardy.
"There was an hour where really we weren't going to get a deal," he said.
Mr Sharma, who fought back tears as he closed the summit following the late intervention, said: "I can tell you there was one really tense hour where I did feel the weight of the world on my shoulders... this deal was absolutely in jeopardy. We got it over the line."
Earlier he said that "China and India will have to explain themselves" to climate-vulnerable nations.
One of the main goals set out by COP26 was to ensure global warming does not go above 1.5C by 2100 - but a report by the Climate Action Tracker group has calculated that at the current rate, the world is heading for 2.4C warming by that date.
As part of the agreement struck in Glasgow, countries will meet next year to pledge further major carbon cuts with the aim of reaching the 1.5C goal.
Under the Glasgow climate pact:
Countries were asked to republish their climate action plans by the end of next year, with more ambitious emissions reduction targets for 2030
There is an emphasis on the need for developed countries to increase the money they give to those already suffering the effects of climate change - beyond the current $100bn annual target
The language about coal has been included for the first time ever in a global climate deal
A pledge in a previous draft to "phase out" coal was instead watered down to a commitment to "phase down" coal
The UN's climate change chief Patricia Espinosa described the mention of fossil fuels as a "huge step forward" but added there was a need to "balance out the social consequences" for people of cutting coal power - particularly in poor countries.
She said that the 1.5C target was "definitely alive" but, earlier, Labour's shadow business and energy secretary Ed Miliband said the goal was "in intensive care".
Source-BBC
Bahamas downgraded by Standard and Poor’s
The global ratings agency – Standard & Poor’s (S&P) has downgraded The Bahamas’ sovereign creditworthiness citing “the failure of successive governments to implement timely and effective” fiscal reforms even prior to COVID-19.
In a statement on Friday, the US based credit rating agency joined its rival, Moody’s, in plunging the country further into ‘junk’ status by slashing its long-term and local currency rating to ‘B+’ from ‘BB-‘ after the national debt increased by US$2.4 billion in two years.
However, S&P broke with Moody’s in simultaneously providing The Bahamas with a glimmer of hope by upgrading its “outlook” for this nation’s public finances from ‘negative’ to ‘stable’.
It based this upgrade on its expectation that the economy’s post-COVID recovery will drive increased revenues and narrow the Government’s annual fiscal deficit despite the absence of major reforms.
“The stable outlook reflects our view that the economic recovery presently underway will support government revenues and reduce pressure on government expenditures, supporting a gradual decline in fiscal deficits over the next 12 months,” S&P said in its Bahamas country analysis. “We expect continued, but decelerating, growth in the national debt.”
S&P also predicted that the Bahamian economy will expand by the equivalent of 3.7 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2021, a rate that is higher than projections by both the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Central Bank of The Bahamas.
But, while its 8.6 percent GDP growth projection for 2022 is also higher than others’ estimates, S&P voiced concern that “slow progress” in enacting fiscal reforms had undermined the Government’s finances even before the double blow inflicted by COVID and Dorian.
“Although successive governments have continued to work on policies and legislation to support their fiscal responsibility mandate, they have not enacted material revenue measures or sustained expenditure cuts,” S&P said, adding that it anticipated the 10 percent VAT rate cut will be “revenue neutral”.
“We believe the new administration will take time to assess the country’s fiscal and debt situation, which may further delay the implementation of new fiscal measures,” the rating agency added.
“We believe the country’s track record of slow progress in reforming public finances and key sectors of the economy has contributed to the weakening of its financial profile over many years, and hurt its economic performance.
“Most notably, failure to advance public financial reform has led to a marked increase in the sovereign’s debt burden.”
Source-CMC
Australia crushed New Zealand by eight wickets in T20 Tournament
Mitchell Marsh lashed an astonishing unbeaten half-century as an imperious Australia crushed New Zealand by eight wickets to win their first ever Twenty20 World Cup here Sunday.
In pursuit of 173 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Australia lost captain Aaron Finch cheaply for five but then took charge of the contest thanks to Marsh’s 77 not out off 50 deliveries with half-dozen fours and four sixes.
Left-handed opener David Warner punched 53 off 38 deliveries with four fours and three sixes as the Aussies completed their run chase with seven balls to spare.
Black Caps captain Kane Williamson had earlier stroked a high class 85 off 48 balls, an innings which propelled New Zealand to 172 for four off their 20 overs after being sent in.
Opener Martin Guptill added 28 from 35 balls but no other batsman passed 20 as fast bowler Josh Hazlewood snared three for 16 to keep the Black Caps scoring in check.
“It’s awesome, it really is. I think there’s been so much talk about this being the one that’s been elusive to Australia,” said Finch.
“And to be fair, we probably underperformed in the past, if we are being honest with ourselves. We’ve had some great teams along the way.
“This team is pretty special. The camaraderie, the way that everyone really cares for each other and looks after each other, looks out for each other [is] pretty special.
“So yeah, it’s awesome. That’s brilliant and it’s great for Australian cricket.”
Hazlewood claimed semi-final hero Daryl Mitchell for 11 to a catch at the wicket in the fourth over, leaving Williamson to anchor two successive crucial stands to provide the innings with momentum.
The right-hander posted 48 for the second wicket with Guptill before putting on a further 68 for the third wicket with Glenn Phillips (18), New Zealand gathering 58 from the last five overs.
In reply, when Finch top-edged left-arm speedster Trent Boult and was taken in the deep by Mitchell, the game appeared poised to be a genuine contest.
However, Marsh arrived to inspire a 92-run, second wicket partnership with Man-of-the-Series Warner before adding 66 in an unbroken third wicket stand with Glenn Maxwell who made 28 not out.
By the time Warner, who finished the tournament with three half-centuries, was bowled by Boult in the 13th over, Australia were already in control of the chase and Marsh’s continued dominance made sure of the outcome.
Source-CMC
Beyoncé releases "Be Alive" from new Will Smith movie, King Richard
Beyoncé dropped her first new music of the year on Friday: 'Be Alive," from the new Will Smith movie, King Richard.
Queen Bey was inspired to contribute the song after attending a screening of the film, which tells the story of how Richard Williams, portrayed by Smith, developed his daughters, Serena and Venus Williams, into tennis superstars.
The 28-time Grammy winner sings: “It feels so good to be alive / Got all my family by my side / Couldn't wipe this black off if I tried / That's why I lift my hеad with pride."
"The marriage of a movie and a song is a kind of magic that's unmatched in entertainment," Smith told EW.com. "I was so happy when Beyoncé called.
Beyoncé and Serena previously worked together when the four-time Olympic gold medal winner appeared in the "Sorry" video in 2016.
"There is no other person that could do the song except for Beyoncé because I feel we've had a similar path in our lives," Serena said last week on Jimmy Kimmel Live! "We trained from an early age to reach a goal. Her dad was super involved in her career as well as her mom, and for us it was really only one answer. She embraced that."
"The original song is amazing," Serena added. "It all came together so perfectly.
"Be Alive" is heard during the closing credits of King Richard, which debuts theaters in November 19 and streams exclusively on HBO Max. The song is nominated for a Hollywood Music in Media Award in the Feature Film category.
Source-ABC
States of Emergency imposed to fight crime wave in Jamaica
Prime Minister Andrew Holness on Sunday announced the imposition of States of Emergency (SOEs) in seven police divisions across the island.
Speaking during an emergency press briefing, Holness said the SOEs were declared in the western parishes of St. James, Hanover and Westmoreland and in the Corporate Area, in the police divisions of St Andrew South, Kingston West, Kingston Central and Kingston East.
According to the Prime Minister all of these divisions have seen increases in crime ranging from 16 per cent to 57 per cent.
“All have murder rates per 100,000 in excess of the regional average which is 15 per cent. In fact, the murder rate per 100,000 in these divisions range from a low of approximately 47 per 100,000 to 190 per 100,000.”
“We have decided to recommend the declaration of SOEs having regard to the increase in murders compared year on year both in the communities in which we have declared them and nationally and these increases we consider to be of an extensive scale such that they threaten public safety.”
Meanwhile, Police Commissioner Major General Antony Anderson said the new states of emergency will be imposed in addition to other security measures now in force.
Up to Friday the 12th November, there were 1,240 murders recorded so far for this year.
Source-CMC
Female Athlete of the Year Title goes to Elaine
Following an exceptional 2021 season performance, two-time sprint double Olympic Games gold medallist Elaine Thompson-Herah has copped the North American, Central American, and Caribbean Athletics Association (NACAC) Female Athlete of the Year title.
She was honoured alongside American shot putter Ryan Crouser, who was chosen as the Male Athlete of the Year, according to a statement issued by NACAC on Monday.
The association said the 29-year-old Jamaican’s 2021 season “will go down in history, as she produced one of the greatest runs of excellence of all time”. “…Beyond a shadow of a doubt, as far as athletics goes, 2021 belonged to Elaine Thompson-Herah. In uncertain, challenging times, she treated the world to superlative displays that will mark this as one of the greatest years ever in women’s sprints,” NACAC said.
Within the span of just over three weeks, between the end of July and late August, Thompson-Herah won two individual gold medals at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. Her 100m win came in an Olympic record time of 10.61, while her 200m victory four days thence yielded a national record time of 21.53 seconds. Shortly after her double Olympic triumph, which she topped off by winning the sprint relay with Jamaica, she lined up at the Prefontaine Classic, in Hayward Field, Eugene, Oregon, USA. Thompson-Herah stamped her class with a run of 10.54 seconds, a new national record, and–like her 200m Olympic win–the fastest time in the world since Florence Griffith-Joyner’s World record in 1988.
Thompson-Herah went on to take her third Diamond League title, winning the women’s 100m final in Zürich with a time of 10.65 seconds. It was the seventh Diamond League title for Jamaica in the women’s 100m.
Only five women this century have ended a season with the fastest times in both the 100m and 200m. This season, the double women’s sprint champion from the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil became the first woman ever to repeat that feat.
Source-CMC