Simmons' resignation paves way for possible return
The decision by Phil Simmons to step down as head coach of Afghanistan after the ICC World Cup has opened up the possibility of a return to the West Indies team.
Simmons recently announced that he would be leaving the post after achieving his goal of helping Afghanistan qualify for the tournament, which will be held in England and Wales from May 30 till July 14.
His contract, although due to expire at the end of the World Cup, would most likely have been extended.
“I have thought about it and I have actually given the ACB [Afghanistan Cricket Board] my notice that I will not be renewing my contract. I will move on to something different once my contract expires on July 15,” Simmons told ESPNcricinfo.
“I signed up originally for 18 months and I think I have done a lot in this period. It is time for me to move on to something else now. To want to get to the World Cup — that was ACB's goal at the time they appointed me. My goal is always to leave things better than when I joined: the way we practise, the way we think about the game, the way we assess other teams. I've tried to help the players in all those areas.”
Coincidentally, after also being in charge of the West Indies for 18 months, Simmons was controversially fired by the Dave Cameron-led West Indies Cricket Board back in 2016.
However, while Simmons challenged the decision in court, one of the first orders of business for new Cricket West Indies president Ricky Skerritt was to apologise to the former West Indies all-rounder and reach an amicable resolution.
Source-CMC
UN reports that 3 million people have fled Venezuela since 2015
An estimated three million people have fled the crisis in Venezuela since 2015, most of whom should be considered refugees, the United Nations disclosed today.
UN refugee agency spokeswoman Liz Throssell said that an average of 3,000 to 5,000 people are leaving Venezuela each day, as the country's economy continues to deteriorate amid a power struggle between President Nicolas Maduro and opposition leader Juan Gauido.
"We're looking at about three million people who have left Venezuela since 2015," Throssell told reporters in Geneva.
The UNHCR said 460,000 Venezuelans have made formal asylum requests, mostly in neighbouring Latin American countries.
The agency added that it was issuing a "guidance note" to countries to advise them that most displaced Venezuelans are entitled to international protection.
"This is because of the threats to their lives, security or freedom resulting from circumstances that are seriously disturbing public order in Venezuela," UNHCR said in a statement.
The UN agency also called on all states "to ensure that Venezuelans, regardless of their legal status, are not deported or otherwise forcibly returned to Venezuela".
The economy in oil-rich Venezuela was already spiralling downward before Maduro was sworn in for a second six-year term in January.
Guaido then claimed constitutional legitimacy as the National Assembly speaker, and declared himself acting president.
He quickly won recognition from more than 50 countries, but has failed to topple Maduro, who is backed by Venezuela creditors China and Russia and retains the support of the country's powerful military.
Source-AFP
CXC to consider petition for maths resit
The Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) is to consider a petition calling for all students to re-sit the 2019 CSEC Maths exams following serious breaches of the examination regulations, a representative from the Barbados-based institution has said.
“All of the queries regarding such were [reported] to the head of the department and it's being worked on. The queries have not fallen on deaf ears so everyone will be notified of a decision in due course,” the representative told OBSERVER ONLINE a short while ago.
It is unclear who launched the petition that has so far gained 5,085 signatures — more than 60 per cent of the 7,500 signatures required.
Last week, CXC announced that it was investigating a breach in examination security in Trinidad and Tobago, where students were said to have used mobile phones and textbooks during the exam.
“It would be unfair if these students are allowed a free pass, and equally unfair if only selected schools/students are allowed to resit a supplementary exam. The extent to which exams could have been scanned and shared, not only nationally, but regionally is unfathomable.
“Students could have been privy to the exam questions earlier than the start time and they could have sent these images on social media to their counterparts in other schools across the country and region. The invigilator also could have further compromised the situation by sharing the exam with other invigilators.
“Given the conditions and circumstances, it is only fair and just that all students in the entire region resit a supplementary mathematics exam which should be done before the end of the exam period, June 6th, 2019,” a summary of the petition read.
Source-Jamaica Observer
Ministry of Tourism, Environment, Heritage, Maritime, Gaming and Disaster Management DECR welcomes Scientist Dr. Gillian Key
The Department of Environment and Coastal Resources is hosted visiting Scientist Dr. Gillian Key of the Great Britain Non-Native Species Secretariat during the period May 9-11th 2019.
On 10th May 2019 the DECR held a workshop on tackling invasive non-native species, the program introduced the results of the Horizon Scanning Workshop that was held in May 2018 which included a review of the risk species list and their pathways of introduction. The group discussed the development of action plans and propose policies, which will help in defending the Turks and Caicos Islands from invasive species of flora and fauna.
The workshop welcome participants form various departments across Government who all play a vital role in working towards the prevention and eradication of invasive species.
Minister Higgs comments, “Invasive species remain a significant threat to our native plants and animals, agriculture, and environmentally rich tourism product. Continued collaboration with the Great Britain Non-Native Species Secretariat through horizon scanning, policy development, and identification of potential introduction pathways help us protect our vital industries and sensitive environment. We are pleased to have Dr. Gillian Key visiting and look forward to furthering our partnership”
The Department of Environment and Coastal Resources will continue to remain vigilant through the development of biosecurity policy and legislation; and continued partnership with relevant Governments agencies.
PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON CREDIT UNION SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION
The Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands recognizes that credit unions could play an important role in capital formation, productive investment and ultimately the economic development of the country.
The Credit Union Ordinance (Ordinance 27 of 2016) was approved in the House of Assembly on 26 July 2016 but was not brought into operation due to the requirement to have Regulations and Prudential Standards (subsidiary legislation) in place.
The general public is now invited to provide feedback on this subsidiary legislation. It dictates how the provisions of the Ordinance are to be applied and implemented, directing on the following:
- Licensing of Credit Unions
- Management
- Shares
- Borrowing and Liquidity
- The Business of a Credit Union
- Loan Administration
- Property and Funds of a Credit Union
- Amalgamation
- Appointment of Receivers or Judicial Manager
- Dissolution
- Disputes
The documents (in draft) are accessible via the TCI Government website: www.gov.tc. They can also be accessed on the Turks and Caicos Islands Financial Services Commission website at link: http://tcifsc.tc/publications/consultative-documents.
Comments can be sent to the following email addresses: creditunionconsultation@gov.tc or consultation@tcifsc.tc
Persons wishing to provide feedback in hard copy, may submit written representation to: The Ministry of Finance, Trade and Investment, The Treasury Building, Downtown, Providenciales or Durham’s Building, Lighthouse Road, Grand Turk. Envelopes should be clearly marked: “Feedback on Credit Union Legislation”.
Two town hall meetings are scheduled for the islands of Grand Turk and Providenciales, respectively.
Grand Turk - Date: Monday, 6 May 2019│ Venue: Dillon Hall │Time: 6:00p.m.
Providenciales - Date: Thursday, 9 May 2019│ Venue: Airport Inn, Conference Room│ Time 6:00p.m.
The electronic consultation closes 15 May 2019
WhatsApp urges update after 'serious' security breach
WhatsApp on Tuesday encouraged its users to upgrade the app to plug a security breach that allowed sophisticated attackers to sneak spyware into phones, in the latest trouble for its parent Facebook.
The vulnerability — first reported by the Financial Times, and fixed in the latest WhatsApp update — allowed hackers to insert malicious software on phones by calling the target using the app, which is used by 1.5 billion people around the world.
"WhatsApp encourages people to upgrade to the latest version of our app, as well as keep their mobile operating system up to date, to protect against potential targeted exploits designed to compromise information stored on mobile devices," a spokesperson said in a statement to AFP.
The FT cited a spyware dealer as saying the tool was developed by a shadowy Israel-based firm called the NSO Group, which has been accused of helping governments from the Middle East to Mexico snoop on activists and journalists.
And security researchers said the malicious code bore similarities to other tech developed by the firm, according to The New York Times.
The latest exploit — which impacts Android devices and Apple's iPhones, among others -- was discovered earlier this month and WhatsApp scrambled to fix it, rolling out an update in less than 10 days.
The firm did not comment on the number of users affected or who targeted them, and said it had reported the matter to US authorities.
It also informed authorities in Ireland about the "serious security vulnerability", according to a statement by the country's Data Protection Commission (DPC).
"The DPC is actively engaging with WhatsApp Ireland to determine if and to what extent any WhatsApp EU user data has been affected," it said.
It echoed WhatsApp in encouraging users to update the app, as "the possibility remains that EU users were affected".
The breach is the latest in a series of issues troubling WhatsApp's parent Facebook, which has faced intense criticism for allowing its users' data to be harvested by research companies and over its slow response to Russia using the platform as a means to spread disinformation during the 2016 US election campaign.
CARICOM calls for end to US embargo against Cuba
Secretary Gneral of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Irwin LaRocque, Monday called on the United States to lift the “unwarranted economic embargo and sanctions” against Cuba.
Addressing the 22nd meeting of the Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR), LaRocque said that next month, the 15-member grouping will host the Sixth Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of CARICOM and Cuba.
“Cuba has been a long-standing, supportive partner particularly in building the region's human capital in fields such as public health and sport. Our Community reiterates its call for the lifting of the unwarranted economic embargo and sanctions on Cuba which were strengthened recently,” he added.
Washington strengthened the decades old embargo on the Caribbean island after it publicly stated its support for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro whom the United States and several other western countries are seeking to remove from power.
CARICOM has called for non-intervention in the internal affairs of countries and that it has adopted this principle with regards to Caracas.
LaRocque said that the meeting here was taking place “at a time when our hemisphere continues to face great challenges.
“The ongoing political situation in Venezuela is worrisome and requires an urgent and concerted response from all actors. Since the beginning of the year, CARICOM has been very active on the issue and spared no effort on its own as well as working with like-minded countries and other parties, towards a peaceful internal outcome to the crisis, an objective on which all member states agree,” he said.
The Secretary General said that CARICOM has been operating within the framework of the Montevideo Mechanism process established with Mexico and Uruguay.
“The Community has been resolute in reaffirming its guiding principles of non-interference and non-intervention in the affairs of states, prohibition of the threat or use of force, respect for sovereignty, adherence to the rule of law, and respect for the constitutional framework, human rights and democracy,” he said.
Last week, CARICOM chairman, Dr Timothy Harris, led a CARICOM delegation to the outreach session of the third Ministerial Meeting of the International Contact Group in Costa Rica, where perspectives on the situation in Venezuela were exchanged.
LaRocque said, Venezuela and Cuba apart, other issues of interest to the Community's welfare also feature on the agenda for the two-day meeting.
He said: “The implications of the withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU), and the ongoing Post-Cotonou negotiations which will determine CARICOM's and the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) future relationship with the EU.
“Our meeting today will have to consider several issues as we formulate the Community's position going forward. We are facing a world where major actors are showing a decreasing interest in a collective approach to global problems. It is an era where the multilateral architecture has come under increasing strain.
"Geopolitical competition in a multipolar world has increased, as well as the exercise of state power by the powerful to the detriment of international law and of smaller countries.”
LaRocque said that CARICOM, as small states, must therefore rely more than ever on focused and coordinated diplomacy, bolster its relations with like-minded states and continue to advocate for multilateralism.
The two-day meeting is being held under the theme ““Leveraging the Community's Voice in an Era of Challenges and Disorder” and LaRocque said it is more than timely and “constitutes a wakeup call that reminds us as small states that the best way to protect the region's interests in such a challenging time is to be cohesive, to work together as a collective, and to speak with one voice”.
Nadidja Parker Appointed as Communications Coordinator
The Turks and Caicos Islands Civil Service is pleased to congratulate Ms. Nadidja Parker on her appointment to the post of Communications Coordinator within the Office of the Premier.
Ms. Parker graduated from the British West Indies Collegiate in 2009, after which she moved to the UK to advance her tertiary education, completing her A Levels in 2011 at York College in York, North Yorkshire, UK. She continued her studies at the University of Winchester, UK and graduated in October 2016 with a Bachelors of Arts Single Honours Degree in Journalism and a Broadcast Journalist Training Accreditation allowing her to practice Journalism anywhere in the world.
During her 4 years at the University of Winchester, Ms. Parker had the opportunity to work with professionals from a variety of employers in the UK broadcast industry including BBC, ITV, ITN, Aljazeera, Sky News, Channel 4 News, The Guardian, National Union of Journalists and Heart Radio. Following her studies in the UK, Ms. Parker returned home to the Turks and Caicos Islands where she worked as a Broadcast Journalist/Reporter and News Anchor with People’s Television Network. Eventually being offered a full time position as Newsroom Supervisor/Manager until April 2019. Ms. Parker was nominated and subsequently selected to receive the National Young Achiever’s Medal at the 2017 National Honours and Awards. She volunteers with Junior Achievers Turks and Caicos and actively participates in developmental youth programmes.
Commenting on her appointment Ms. Parker stated; “I am proud to have been appointed for the position of Communications Coordinator within the Office of the Premier. It is a privilege to be a part of the Turks & Caicos Islands Civil Service, where I will have the opportunity to work with many influential women. Being a young woman, I admire the professionalism and drive of all influential women in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
“I look forward to executing my role to the best of my ability using my knowledge of information dissemination and my contacts throughout the Turks and Caicos to properly communicate the work that goes on in the Office of the Premier. Also through this role my goal is to reach out into the communities across the Turks and Caicos Islands and to bring pressing issues and concerns to the attention of the Premier and her team.”
Whilst highlighting Ms. Parker’s appointment Deputy Governor Her Excellency Anya Williams stated; “We are pleased to welcome Ms. Nadidja Parker to the Turks and Caicos Islands Civil Service and we wish her a long and rewarding public service career. Ms. Parker has an extensive background in broadcasting and journalism and will bring very vital communication skills not only to her role as Communications Coordinator within the Office of the Premier, but to the Turks and Caicos Government as a whole. Congratulations Nadidja!”
HOT TEMPERATURES IN THE TCI
GENERAL SITUATION: A SURFACE TROUGH IN VICINITY OF THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS SUPPORTS
INCREASED CLOUDS AND SHOWER CHANCES TODAY. WHILE A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE ACROSS THE
AREA SHIFTS EASTWARDS AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT.
AREA: CENTRAL-SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS & TURKS & CAICOS
ADVISORY: SMALL CRAFT SHOULD BE ALERT FOR GUSTY WINDS AND HIGHER SEAS IN OR NEAR
HEAVY SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS.
WINDS: SOUTHEASTERLY AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS OVER OPEN WATERS TODAY, BECOMING VARIABLE, LESS
THAN 10 KNOTS TONIGHT.
SEAS: 2 TO 4 FEET OVER THE OCEAN TODAY, FALLING 3 FEET OR LESS TONIGHT.
WEATHER: ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH TONIGHT.
MOONRISE: 3:43 PM
MOONSET: 4:17 AM WED.
LOW TIDE: 9:55 AM
HIGH TIDE: 4:09 PM
LOW TIDE: 10:25 PM
HIGH TIDE: 4:29 AM WED.
EXTENDED FORECAST (FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS): A COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE
NORTHWEST BAHAMAS EARLY ON WEDNESDAY AND BECOME STATIONARY THROUGH THURSDAY.
FORECAST FOR WEDNESDAY
ADVISORY: EXPECT GUSTY WINDS AND HIGHER SEAS IN OR NEAR HEAVY SHOWERS OR
THUNDERSTORMS.
WINDS: VARIABLE, LESS THAN 10 KNOTS.
SEAS: 1 TO 3 FEET OVER THE OCEAN.
WEATHER: SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS.
FORECAST FOR THURSDAY
ADVISORY: EXPECT GUSTY WINDS AND HIGHER SEAS IN OR NEAR HEAVY SHOWERS OR
THUNDERSTORMS.
WINDS: NORTHEAST TO EAST AT 10 KNOTS OR LESS BUT FALLING LIGHT AND VARIABLE AT TIMES.
SEAS: 1 TO 3 FEET OVER THE OCEAN.
WEATHER: SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS.
TCIG CIVIL SERVICE ENGAGES IN YOUTH CAREER EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR HIGH SCHOOLS
Her Excellency Anya Williams. MBE, Deputy Governor of the Turks & Caicos visited her alma mater, HJ Robinson High School in Grand Turk to speak to the 3rd and 5th Form students on the importance of making the right career decisions as well as other key choices throughout their lives.
Departments across Turks & Caicos Islands Government Civil Service will assist in hosting career day expositions for both HJ Robinson and Long Bay High School this Friday, May 10th to assist in helping them to make their subject choices for their senior years in high school, whilst a number of 5th form students from the HJ Robinson High School will be participating in a 4 week Job Experience Work Program facilitated by the Human Resource Management Directorate under the Office of the Deputy Governor.
Commenting on these initiatives Her Excellency the Deputy Governor had this to say; “My office is pleased to assist in helping our young students make the best choices for their career and lives. It is important that they are made aware of the job opportunities that are available in both the public and private sector as well as the requirements for these positions so that they can adequately qualify themselves by taking full advantage of the educational opportunities that are available.
We are pleased to work with the HJ Robinson High School to provide real hands on work experience to several of their senior students over the next four weeks that will be completing their secondary education this upcoming year. It was a pleasure speaking to them and we look forward to further engagements with the other high schools throughout the other islands as well.”