Department of Agriculture issues warning to local farmers on African Swine Fever
The Department of Agriculture is warning local farmers of the possible spread African Swine Fever from the Dominican Republic.
The department says that it was notified by the World Animal Health Organization (OIE) that there is presently an outbreak of African Swine Fever in the Dominican Republic, one of the TCI’s neighbouring informal trading partners.
African Swine Fever is a highly contagious and deadly viral disease affecting both domestic and feral pigs of all ages and can threaten agriculture. The virus is not a threat to human health and cannot be transmitted from pigs to humans or from humans to pigs. The virus cannot be treated by use of vaccines so the main way of controlling the disease is by prevention.
On-farm biosecurity is crucial to preventing any animal disease from developing and spreading. All pig owners and anyone involved with pig operations should know and follow strict biosecurity practices for example avoid exchanging pigs or visiting farms without cleaning and disinfecting boots. Farmers are being encouraged to work with veterinarians to assess their biosecurity plans and make improvements as needed.
The department says that if persons are planning to visit countries affected by African Swine Fever then they should take precautions when visiting farms, do not bring back pork products, and do not visit any animal facilities with pigs for at least five days after you return.
Farmers and veterinarians are being told to be on the look for the following signs in pig populations.
High fever
Decreased appetite and weakness
Red, blotchy skin or skin lesions
Diarrhea and vomiting
Coughing and difficult breathing
Immediately report animals with any of these signs to the Agriculture Department’s animal health officials by calling 338-5269 on Providenciales and 338-3882 on Grand Turk.
The Importation of live pigs and pork products from the Dominican Republic is now banned until further notice.
Prince's Welcome 2 America is his highest-charting new album since 2009
Prince's album Welcome 2 America, originally recorded in 2010 but just recently released, has debuted at number four on the Billboard album chart. It marks the late legend's highest-charting new album since 2009's Lotusflow3r/MPSound.
Lotusflow3r debuted and peaked at number three in April of 2009. Since then, Prince has had higher-charting albums, but only with previously released material. For example, The Very Best of Prince hit number one after his death in 2016.
Welcome 2 America also debuted at number one on the Billboard R&B Album chart.
To coincide with the album's release, a video of Prince performing his song "17 Days" at The Forum in Inglewood, CA, recorded during the Welcome 2 America tour in 2011, is now available to watch on YouTube. It's part of the footage in the concert Blu-ray that comes with the deluxe edition of Welcome 2 America. "17 Days" was the B-side of Prince's 1984 classic, "When Doves Cry."
If you need more Prince, a new season of The Prince Estate's official podcast has launched, starting with The Story of Welcome 2 America. It documents the years 2010 to 2011, when Prince recorded the album, shelved it and then decided to perform concert residencies around the world.
CTO launches C'bean Community Tourism Network
The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) has launched the Caribbean Community Tourism Network (CCTN) to provide a platform to support the continued development of community-based tourism (CTB) in the Caribbean.
The network will facilitate the exchange of best practices among CTO member countries and interested tourism development partners, and help to identify capacity-building needs, the organisation said.
CTO's sustainable tourism specialist Amanda Charles indicated that the network will provide an avenue for CTO members to share knowledge, resources, and best practices to improve community tourism experiences and economic impact.
“Community-based tourism offers an opportunity to bridge the social and economic gap of local communities, allows community members a path to sustainable livelihoods, and is a conduit for the active participation and empowerment of local people in tourism,” Charles said.
Among the functions of the CCTN are the promotion and support of regional development strategies in CBT, providing input into, and recommending activities and actions with a view to enhancing the visibility and value of CBT as a regional tourism product, and the exchange of experiences on national and regional initiatives.
The network is one of the initiatives of the CTO, which has identified CBT as a regional tourism development strategy, and is seeking to optimise its role in supporting local livelihoods, stimulating entrepreneurship and community social and economic development, while also creating authentic experiences and unique product offerings for visitors.
Other initiatives include a toolkit for product development, produced in partnership with the Compete Caribbean Partnership Facility. The toolkit includes a how-to guide to assist communities and entrepreneurs develop profitable CBT experiences and enterprises, with information on product development, pricing, marketing and creating business plans. It also includes guidelines and templates to support experience design and product enhancement and a tool to measures communities' capacity and CBT states of readiness.
TCI ELITE ATHLETES TO LEAD TRACK & FIELD DEVELOPMENT CAMP
After a successful series of Sports Performance Camps, the Sports Commission is continuing its focus on Athlete Development, with a Track & Field Development Camp scheduled for August 25-28, 202, at the Downtown Ballpark in Providenciales.
The “Elite Development Track & field Summer Camp will be facilitated by TCI’s Elite Athletes Ifeanyichukwu Otuonye, Delano Williams and Yanique Haye-Smith along with former Olympians Erik Kynard Jr. and Kimberly Williamson, as well as Kansas State University Sprint Coach Vincent Johnson.
Delano Williams, TCI’s Olympian is also a World Championship Medalist and World Junior Champion in Track and Field. Ifeanyichukwu Otuonye is TCI’s current National Long Jump Record Holder, a two-time Commonwealth Games Finalist and a NACAC U23 Champion. Yanique Haye-Smith is TCI’s National 400m Record Holder and a World Championship Qualifier.
Invited guest facilitator, Erik Kynard Jr. is a USA Olympic Gold Medalist, two-time Olympian, World Championships Medalist, and a ten-time USA National Champion. Kimberly Williamson is a six-time Jamaican National Champion, Pan American Games Medalist and Jamaican Junior Record Holder
Invited guest Coach Vincent Johnson is Kansas State University’s Sprints & Jumps Coach & Recruiting Coordinator. He has extensive experience coaching Elite High School & Club Track and Field Athletes. Johnson has coached multiple NCAA National Champions, International medalists, and national record holders
Through these experienced athletes and coaches, TCI’s young Track and Field athletes will be taught how to develop their techniques in Track and Field events such as Sprints, Distance Races, Hurdles, Long Jump and High jump. The Camp will also serve as an avenue for talent identification and will give athletes and opportunity to learn about how Track and Field can help further their educational pursuits.
Media Communications Specialist, Havana Henry told RTC Sports that due to the increasing COVID-19 cases, the Elite Development Track and Field Summer Camp will be conducted by Invitation Only.
She is asking all track & field athletes and enthusiast to follow the Sports Commission on Facebook for live updates related to camps and other upcoming events.
Protests against mandated COVID-19 vaccines pop up across US
As the COVID-19 delta variant causes a surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in the U.S., protests against mandatory COVID vaccines have cropped up around the country.
Dozens of people gathered outside St. John's Hospital in Maplewood, Minnesota on Saturday to protest vaccination mandates from health care systems including M Health Fairview, Allina Health, HealthPartners and Children's Minnesota, ABC affiliate KSTP reported.
The only exemptions are for strong religious beliefs or medical conditions.
Hundreds protested outside of ChristianaCare in Newark, Delaware, Saturday to push back against the hospital's decision to mandate the COVID-19 vaccine for all employees, according to WPVI.
And more than 100 gathered in Vancouver, Washington, to protest COVID-19 vaccine mandates for hospital workers, ABC's Portland affiliate, KATU reported.
National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Francis Collins said Sunday he believes vaccine requirements could make a difference in slowing the rapid spread of COVID-19 and acknowledged how politics has polarized public opinion on pandemic mitigation strategies.
"Why is it that a mandate about a vaccine or wearing a mask suddenly becomes a statement of your political party? We never should have let that happen." Collins told ABC's This Week.
More than 35.7 million Americans have been infected by COVID-19, resulting in over 616,000 deaths as of early Monday, according to data compiled byJohns Hopkins University.
FORECAST FOR TODAY AND TONIGHT MONDAY 9TH AUGUST 2021
A TYPICAL SUMMERTIME PATTERN WILL REMAIN ACROSS THE ISLANDS DUE TO A SLOW BUILDING HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER THE BAHAMAS.
SPECIAL WARNINGS: RESIDENTS ARE ADVISED TO REMAIN HYDRATED AND AVOID DIRECT SUNLIGHT EXPOSURE DUE TO TRIPLE DIGIT HEAT INDICES.
ALL AREAS
WEATHER:PARTLY SUNNY AND HOT WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ALONG WITH BREEZY CONDITIONS IN THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS.
ADVISORY: SMALL CRAFT CAUTION IS IN EFFECT FOR THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS
WINDS: EAST TO SOUTHEAST AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS IN THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS AND EASTERLY AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS IN THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS.
SEAS: 2 TO 4 FEET OVER THE OCEAN IN THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS AND 4 TO 7 FEET OVER THE OCEAN IN THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS.
DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURE 93°F 34°C
HEAT INDEX 104°F 40°C
OVERNIGHT LOW TEMPERATURE 75°F 24°C
SUNRISE: 6:41 AM SUNSET: 7:48 PM
MOONRISE: 7:33 AM MOONSET: 8:58 PM
HIGH TIDE: 9:05 AM & 9:27 PM
LOW TIDE: 3:09 PM & 3:52 AM TUE
TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK: TWO AREAS ARE BEING MONITORED:
1. A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM LOCATED ABOUT 380 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS HAS A 60% CHANCE OF CYCLONE FORMATION THROUGH THE NEXT FIVE DAYS.
2. AN ELONGATED LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM BETWEEN THE CABO VERDE ISLANDS AND THE LESSER ANTILLES HAS A 30 % CHANCE OF CYCLONE FORMATION THROUGH THE NEXT FIVE DAYS.
Kool & the Gang co-founder Dennis “Dee Tee” Thomas dead at 70
Dennis “Dee Tee” Thomas, co-founder and saxophonist of Kool & the Gang, died "peacefully in his sleep" in New Jersey, the legendary funk band announced on Saturday.
Thomas was 70. Further details about his death were not given.
"An original member of Kool & the Gang, Dennis was known as the quintessential cool cat in the group, loved for his hip clothes and hats, and his laid-back demeanor," Kool & the Gang shared on its Instagram page. "A huge personality while also an extremely private person, Dennis was the alto saxophone player, flutist, percussionist as well as master of ceremonies at the band’s shows. Dennis’ prologue featured on the groups 1971 hit, 'Who’s Gonna Take the Weight' is legendary and an example of his showmanship."
Thomas, the post continued, was Kool & the Gang's "wardrobe stylist who made sure they always looked fresh." In the act's early days, he also "served as the 'budget hawk,' carrying the group’s earnings in a paper bag in the bell of his horn."
Thomas, along with brothers Ronald "Khalis" Bell and Robert “Kool” Bell, Spike Mickens, Ricky Westfield, George Brown and Charles Smith, formed the Jazziacs in 1964. Five years later, they changed their name to Kool & the Gang and released their self-titled debut album that same year. Since then, the band earned a pair of Grammy Awards and racked up numerous hits, including "Celebration," "Jungle Boogie" and "Ladies Night."
Thomas, who appeared on every one of Kool & the Gang's albums -- including their upcoming 25th studio release, Perfect Union -- last appeared on stage with the band during a July 4 concert at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.
Thomas' death comes nearly a year after Ronald "Khalis" Bell's passing last September at the age of 68.
Source-ABC
CABINET APPROVED EXPANSION FOR EAST BAY RESORT
The Premier Honourable Charles Washington Misick and Cabinet members approved a development agreement for East Bay Resort in Cabinet on Thursday, 29 July 2021. The agreement was formally signed by His Excellency Governor Nigel Dakin on Friday, 30 July 2021 at the Office of the Premier in Providenciales.
The Turks and Caicos Islands Government is committed to providing job opportunities for all Turks and Caicos Islanders and providing effective outcomes to strengthen and foster the upward growth of the TCI Economy.
This new agreement will see the expansion of the existing resort on South Caicos to include outfitting the addition of forty-seven (47) room units, two (2) additional pools, a restaurant and bar, wedding facilities and brand enhancement. This development will attract travel and is expected to increase stay-overs on the island of South Caicos and will enhance current offerings for visitors interested in dive and watersports activities.
The Premier commenting on the development agreement stated, “I welcome developers of this highly anticipated project as partners with my government, in promoting economic growth, an increase in tourism offerings and job opportunities on the island of South Caicos.
It is critically important that we select sustainable, advantageous and smart investments that will add value to brand Turks and Caicos and that will enhance the lives of the people of these islands. I am excited for the start of this project and look forward to its grand opening once completed.”
Present for the signing were HE Governor Nigel Dakin, the Premier Honourable Washington Misick, Deputy Premier Honourable Erwin Saunders, Invest Turks and Caicos executives, and representatives of the development group JEM TCI Holdings Ltd.
The East Bay Resort was partially developed on the island of South Caicos between 2011 – 2015 and officially opened in 2016 with forty (40) guest units. The expansion will increase the existing room capacity to a total of eighty-seven (87) guest units.
TCIG partnering with developers for this project, signifies its commitment to pragmatic development, increased employment opportunities and the stimulation of the economy of South Caicos.
Felix & Kenny set records, Jamaica take relay gold, storm brewing
American athlete Allyson Felix and British cyclist Laura Kenny set medal records in their sports and Italy celebrated more track success on day 14 in Tokyo.
Felix, 35, became the most decorated female track and field athlete by taking bronze in a 400m final where Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas retained her title.
At the velodrome, Kenny became the most decorated female cyclist and the first British woman to win gold at three Olympic Games as she and Katie Archibald produced a dominant display in the women's madison, which was added to the Games programme for the first time at Tokyo 2020.
Kenny, 29, also became GB's most successful female athlete with her fifth gold, and sixth Olympic medal overall.
Dutchwoman Sifan Hassan's bid for a golden treble ended when she took bronze in the 1500m, although she can still win three medals in three events if she gets on the podium in the 10,000m having already won the 5,000m.
Italy's record showing in athletics continued with victory in the men's 4x100m relay after a 20km women's race walk win had earlier ensured their best ever gold-medal haul in track and field at a Games.
Meanwhile, 51-year-old Spanish race walker Jesus Angel Garcia became the first person to compete in an athletics event at eight summer Olympics.
As tears continued to flow on podiums, International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach said these pandemic-hit Games had exceeded expectations because athletes had given them "soul".
Felix wins 10th Olympic medal
With her 10th Olympic medal, Felix overtook Jamaica's Merlene Ottey as the most decorated female track and field athlete, and she can still add another on Saturday in the 4x400m relay.
The 35-year-old, competing in her fifth and final Games, took bronze in the 400m, with defending champion Miller-Uibo winning gold in 48.36 seconds.
Felix now has six golds, three silvers and one bronze to her name.
In the 1500m, Kenya's Faith Kipyegon retained her title with Britain's Laura Muir taking silver and world champion Hasan getting the bronze to end her chance of a hat-trick of golds at these Games.
The Dutch athlete will have to recover quickly as she is scheduled to run in the 10,000m final on Saturday.
Also on the track on Friday, Jamaican women underlined their sprinting dominance with a gold in the 4x100m relay, with the United States taking silver and Great Britain bronze.
Earlier in the day, Poland's Tomala Dawid won gold in the men's 50km walk, beating Germany's Jonathan Hilbert and Canada's Evan Dunfee.
And China's Liu Shiying was victorious in the women's javelin as Poland's Maria Andrejczyk took silver and Australia's Kelsey-Lee Barber won bronze.
Record gold for Britain's Kenny
There were emotional scenes at the velodrome as Kenny became the first British woman to win gold at three Olympic Games as she and Archibald were crowned madison champions.
"I've never wanted to win a medal so much in all my life," said Kenny.
The pair delivered a masterclass in madison racing, winning 10 of the 12 sprints on offer and gaining a lap to finish with more than twice as many points of second-placed Denmark. The Russian Olympic Committee took bronze.
Meanwhile, Harrie Lavreysen became the first Dutchman for almost 90 years to win the Olympic track cycling sprint, as he edged out team-mate Jeffrey Hoogland in a tense final.
Italy have their highest athletics gold-medal total at a single Games after a stunning victory in the men's 4x100m relay gave them a fifth.
The team, made up of Lorenzo Patta, individual 100m champion Lamont Marcell Jacobs, Eseosa Fostine Desalu and Filippo Tortu stormed past Great Britain's sprinters to take silver by 0.01 seconds.
Meanwhile, Antonella Palmisano became the first Italian woman to receive an athletics Olympic gold since 1984 when she won the women's 20k race walk on her 30th birthday.
"Today is my day. A perfect way to celebrate. I only think in a few days' time will I realise [I am the champion]," she said.
Her victory followed success on Thursday for her training partner Massimo Stano in the men's version as well as Italian victories in the men's 100m and high jump.
The last-ever men's 50km race walk was won by Poland's Dawid Tomala, who expressed his frustration at the fact the event is being scrapped from the Olympic programme from 2024.
"Of course in one side we are the last medallist, of course it's great, but unfortunately I can say what I can say, the history of the 50k is finished unfortunately," he said. "I think it was unexpected and it was something special in this race, you know and that's all."
'The A-Team' cruise to beach volleyball victory
American beach volleyball pair April Ross and Alix Klineman - nicknamed The A Team - claimed the gold medal, beating Australia's Mariafe Artacho del Solar and Taliqua Clancy 21-15 21-16 in just 43 minutes.
The team confirmed their dominance by being the only unbeaten team in the women's competition.
The more experienced of the two, Ross has now completed her set of Olympic medals, having won silver at London 2012 and bronze in Rio four years later.
"I can't fathom that it worked out the way it did," said Ross. "It's kind of a fairytale story like, 'oh, you know I'm going at 39 to try to get my gold medal,' and the fact that it actually happened feels so special and surreal."
The champions have earned many celebrity fans over the course of the tournament, including Mr T - star of The A-Team, the 1980s action-adventure television show.
Meanwhile, the US women's volleyball team are one win away from their first Olympic gold medal after beating Rio silver medallists Serbia in straight sets in Friday's semi-finals.
Jamaica increased its medal count to seven (three gold, one silver and three bronze) after Hansle Parchment created the upset of these delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games in the men's 110m hurdles final.
He scorched the track in a seasonal best 13.04 seconds to overhaul the howling favourite, World Champion American Grant Holloway (13.09 seconds) in the last 20 metres, with Jamaica's other entrant in the final, National Champion Ronald Levy finishing third in 13.10 seconds.
The Jamaican women's 4x100-meter relay team took home the gold medal on Friday in a dominant showing.
The Jamaican team won the race in 41.02 seconds for the second-fastest time in history behind the United States' world record of 40.82 at the 2012 Olympics. Their victory ended the U.S. team’s push for a third consecutive Olympic gold in the event.
Their victory came after Jamaica swept the podium in the 100-meter final. Elaine Thompson-Herah leaves Tokyo with three gold medals after winning won the 100 meters on Saturday in an Olympic record and then taking the 200 meters with the second-fastest time in history.
Briana Williams ran the lead-off leg for the Jamaicans. Jamaican legend Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce was second and Shericka Jackson was third in that race.
Source-Olympic 2021
St Vincent PM suffers concussion during a protest
Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves suffered a concussion when he was struck in the head by an object outside Parliament on Thursday during the protest organised by the main opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) and two trade unions against a move by his government to have front line workers vaccinated against the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
“By the grace of God almighty, I am doing well and on the mend. It is confirmed that there are no neurological deficits. However, I have suffered a concussion and must be monitored over the next four to six weeks. But, it could have been far more serious.
“I take this assault as not just an injury, but, also look to the intent of the throwing of this projectile at me. The intent was to cause grave harm, even death,” Gonsalves wrote on his Facebook page.
Gonsalves, who flew to Barbados for further medical treatment, suffered the concussion, a type of traumatic brain injury caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth.
The US Centres for Disease Prevention and Control notes that this sudden movement can cause the brain to bounce around or twist in the skull, creating chemical changes in the brain and sometimes stretching and damaging brain cells.
In his Facebook page posting, where he also published a video of himself and his wife, Eloise, leaving the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, in Barbados, after taking a brain scan, Gonsalves said “It is equally culpable: the person who threw the stone as are those who instigate and continue to instigate disgraceful events that threaten my life and the lives of others.
“There is one person whom I hold responsible, and it is not just the person who did the direct act. We can have our disagreements, but, to cross the line into violence is unacceptable in a democratic society,” he said, adding “by all means, exercise your right to protest, but, that gives you no right to do violence toward anyone”.
“It is the fundamental right of parliamentarians to have access to the parliament in order to discharge their duty. And, it is the right of the people of North Central Windward to have their duly elected representation heard and not denied. I am heartened that Parliament continued their work last night even in my absence.
“I would like to thank the hundreds of people who have send their thoughts and prayers and condemned the senseless violence that occurred. I would also like to thank the police officers who sought to protect the right of the voters of North Central Windward to have their voice represented in Parliament. And, of course, to the doctors both in St. Vincent and Barbados in whose good hands saw me through,” Gonsalves wrote.
Parliament has since approved the amendments to the Public Health Act that allows for the vaccination of public sector employees, considered to be front line workers and removing the word “voluntary” from a section of the law that speaks to vaccination against an illness that has triggered the declaration of a public health emergency — as is the case with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Gonsalves, who turns 75 on Sunday, is expected to return to St Vincent on Saturday, his deputy, Montgomery Daniel, told the state-owned NBC Radio on Friday.
Source-CMC