Premier Robinson Announces Final Extension For Import Duty Exemption
The Turks and Caicos Islands Government is pleased to announce the extension of the Customs (Import Duty Exemption) Order 2018.
The Order may be cited as the Customs (Import Duty Exemption) Order 2018 and will now expire on 31st March 2018.
The import duty exemption shall apply to individuals seeking to import goods of a description specifically furniture, appliances and general construction/building materials for personal use and not for resale. Merchants are excluded from this final extension and residents are reminded that no letter need to be written to the Minister of Finance. Persons are encouraged to consult with the Customs Department to ensure compliance and to avoid unnecessary challenges ahead of imports. Be sure that your items are included within the Order and all documentation is provided even ahead of of shipment.
An individual seeking to import goods of the description specified and; to be granted the import duty exemption shall on importation of any such goods produce to the Collector of Customs –
(a) Evidence of ownership of the damaged property or long-term residence at the property.
(b) Evidence of damage to property, furniture or appliances, either through photographs or insurance assessments and;
(c) Proof of the value of the replacement furniture or appliance either by invoice or quotation. This Government is seeking to channel resources quickly, flexibly and efficiently to ensure that they reach those most adversely affected. My Government will ensure that Turks and Caicos Islanders are in a position to rebuild bigger and better.
Premier Robinson in announcing this final extension to RTC News said, "These remain challenging times in the Turks and Caicos Islands. In the face of fallen revenue and early in our continuing early recovery efforts, it is important to support our residents where we can. I am pleased to announce the final extension. We recognize the challenge with insurers, shipping delays and orders being filled and believe that many will be grateful for this final extension. This has been a wait and see period as we watch our revenue performances and are happy to offer this final extension. I wish to remind us all that this is a great sacrifice at this time and I must encourage persons to cease the attempts to abuse this opportunity being presented. We are not at the revenue levels that we wish to record nor have we recovered what was loss but we are committed to helping those who are able to help themselves in their repairs.
As we seek to finalise our firm recovery plans, I wish to encourage our residents by our present state. No Irma, No Maria, no super-storm is superior to our indomitable spirit. We are Turks and Caicos Strong and we will emerge from these natural phenomena better, smarter, stronger and more united as we seek to rebuild.
Rest assured that my Government will explore strategies, implement policies and legislation to ensure that we remain a resilient people".
From the Department of Registration and Citizenship in the Ministry of Border Control and Employment
The Department of Registration and Citizenship in the Ministry of Border Control and Employment hereby reminds the general public that all applications for the TCI Status Cards that are supported by foreign government issued and other official documents must be notarized by the Notary Public of the permanent residence jurisdiction (the issuing country) and verified by an apostle, confirming that the undersigned is a member of the Notary Public in that jurisdiction. The public is further advised that the department will not be accepting affidavits in lieu of birth certificates or other supporting documents.
To assist in the advancement of applications, and to minimize delays, persons are advised to avail themselves of the TCI Status Ordinance which came into effect on April 1st 2016, prior to submission of applications, in order to confirm their eligibility to hold Turks and Caicos Islander status. For further assistance please call our customer service centers on 338-2983 or 338-4121.
TCI POST CABINET STATEMENT
His Excellency the Governor, Dr John Freeman, chaired the meeting of the Cabinet on Wednesday, 17 January 2018, at the Hon. Hilly Ewing Building on Providenciales.
All Ministers were present except the Hon. Deputy Premier.
At this meeting Cabinet:
· Noted the recommendations of the Procurement Board to award a contract in line with the Public Procurement Ordinance 2012 as follows –TR17/30 Supply of fencing materials for the TCI Ports Authority;
· Approved the waiver of import customs duty on furniture and appliances which qualify under the list of approved items in the Customs (Import Duty Exemption) (No.3) Order which were imported by a number of applicants to replace items damaged by the hurricanes and which were paid for before but not received by the deadline of 31 December 2017 as stipulated in the Customs (Import Duty Exemption) (No.3) Order;
· Advised His Excellency the Governor to approve, subject to amendments being made, the draft Liquor Licensing (Amendment) Bill 2018 for forwarding to the House of Assembly for Approval;
· Advised His Excellency the Governor to approve amendments to the Micro, Small, Medium Enterprise Development Ordinance 2015 subject to compliance monitoring of approved concessions being conducted by Invest TCI and summary reports being prepared for Cabinet;
· Received an up-date by the Hon. Minister of Education, Youth, Culture and Library Services on the re-opening of schools in TCI following the September hurricanes and on plans to re-open those that remain closed or are still in need of repair, including support from the private sector;
· Received an up-date by the Hon. Minister of Home Affairs, Transportation and Communication on discussions with Digicel and FLOW on plans to restore IT and telephone connectivity on Grand Turk and other islands in TCI which continue to suffer severe communications disruption following the September hurricanes;
· Received feedback from His Excellency the Governor on a meeting which he chaired on 16 January involving the Department for Disaster Management and Emergencies (DDME) and other agencies involved in TCI's disaster management response. The meeting discussed hurricane preparedness priorities to be addressed ahead of the 2018 hurricane season as well as a revised TCIG command response structure and implementation timescales to ensure that TCI is fully prepared for this year's hurricane season. His Excellency the Governor undertook to forward to Hon. Ministers a list of priority hurricane preparedness issues drawn up at his request by DDME for urgent consideration;
· Discussed the issue of access to the beach at Taylor Bay;
· Received an up-date from the Hon. Premier on action taken following the fire at the control tower at Grand Turk airport on 14 January;
· Received an up-date from the Hon. Premier on measures to repair and restore facilities at Grand Turk airport following damage as a result of the September hurricanes;
· Received an up-date from the Hon. Minister of Tourism, Environment, Heritage and Gaming on problems of banking and ambulance services on North and Middle Caicos. The Hon. Minister further requested an up-date on the situation regarding vector control on North and Middle Caicos and the temporary clinic on North Caicos;
· Received an up-date from the Hon. Minister of Tourism, Environment, Heritage and Gaming on problems encountered by a visiting overseas film crew;
· Received an up-date from the Hon. Premier on the forthcoming National Honours and Awards ceremony in Grand Turk in Grand Turk on 20 January.
Further information on these matters will be provided by Ministers in due course.
Customs Duty Exemption, Frequently Asked Questions
Customs Duty Exemption, Frequently Asked Questions:
What does the exemption order do?
The exemption Order will allow importers to import the selected goods into the Turks and Caicos Islands duty free.
What goods are listed under the current Customs Order?
For full details of the items listed under the Order, you may visit the TCI Customs Department website at www.customs.gov.tc
However, below are a list of items that are currently included in the Customs Order:
Selected Building materials, namely:
Concrete Blocks
Sheetrock
Aggregate/Fill/Material/Asphalt
Lumber
Plywood
Structural steel and sheets
Fasteners (screws, nails, bolts)
Zinc sheets and other roofing material
Electrical conduits, boxes, fixtures, wires etc.
Plumbing pipes, fittings and fixtures
Finishing materials (paint, shore coat, etc.)
Windows and doors materials
Hurricane straps
Floor finishes (hardwood flooring, tiles, stain, varnish, etc.)
Construction tools and equipment(excluding equipment under chapter 84 of the Customs Tariff such as Work Trucks, Cranes, Excavators, Fork lift Trucks, Bulldozers, Levelers and similar equipment)
Electrical wires
Fencing
Roof Sealing
Selected Furniture, namely:
Sofa
Love seat
Accent chairs
Cocktail table
Sofa table
End table
Bed frame
Bed headboard
Bed footboard
Dining room table
Dining room and chairs
Mattress
Box spring
Dresser and mirror
Nightstands
Chest of drawers
Selected Appliances, namely
Television (one per importer/declarant)
Refrigerator
Stove
Microwaves
When does the order expire?
The Current Customs Order expires on the 31st of March 2018, at 11:59pm.
What happens if my goods are shipped before the order expires but arrives after the order expires?
In order to qualify for this Customs duty exemption the goods must be "landed" in the Turks and Caicos before the expiry of the Order on the 31st January 2018.
***Landed means the date that the vessel or aircraft arrives in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Who do I contact to benefit from the Customs Order?
To benefit from this Customs Order a written request must be submitted to the Collector of Customs, requesting the exemption and producing documents stipulated in the order.
What are the contact details for those who process these request?
The Concessions desk contacts are as follows:
gmoultrie@gov.tc or 338-5500
drobinson@gov.tc or 2442355
ldmalcolm@gov.tc or 3313221 or 2313221
For General Inquiries:
Providenciales:
cmwilliams@gov.tc or 2459205
rggibbs@gov.tc or 2414260
jharry@gov.tc or 2448049
Grand Turk:
ncgarland@gov.tc or 2417454
ljoutten@gov.tc or 2411941
dsmith@gov.tc or 2310819
What supporting documents do I need to provide to benefit from the order?
Your letter to the Collector must be accompanied by the following:
Proof of ownership of the property, or long term residence there
Proof of damage to the property
Proof of damage to the furniture and appliances
Invoices for good replaced/purchased
Who qualifies under the order?
Only individuals qualify under the order, Businesses and Companies do not qualify.
Do I need to bring hard copies to the office or may documents be scanned and emailed?
You may drop copies to the office, and you may also scan and email to us.
What can be used to show proof of ownership of property?
As proof of ownership of property, you may submit a copy of the register page for the property, which is obtained from the Land Registry.
What may be used to show long term residence at the property?
A sworn Affidavit to that effect, lease or utility bills.
Does the Exemption cover the 7.5% Customs Processing Fee?
No, the exemption is a full duty exemption ONLY, which means that you will pay 0% duty, but the 7.5% Customs Processing Fee must be paid in full.
What happens if items acquired abroad are not shipped in my name?
In your letter to us, you must indicate that the goods belong to you but was consigned to another individual, and produce documents requested.
What happens if the land documents are in my wife's name, but the items are shipped in my name?
In this case you would apply in the usual way stating this in your letter, and producing a copy of your marriage certificate.
What happens if I have items which are not on the exemption list?
If you have imported items not on the exemption list, they will not be duty free, and you will have to pay the full duty rate.
What happens if I am granted the exemption but some of the items arrive in a later shipment?
Once you have been approved for the concession and items are short shipped, you will not have to be processed again, and you will not have to pay again. Your broker will use the same letter and follow the procedure for short-shipments. You must ensure that the Department is notified of a short shipment either directly or through your broker.
What happens if I am renting an apartment, but the furniture and appliances belong to me, would I be covered by the order?
Yes, if you are able to satisfy the Concessions desk that you are the owner.
What happens if I have multiple shipments? For example, Rooms to g o shipped my furniture on the 13th of January, Brandsmart shipped my appliances on the 24th of January, and Home Depot shipped my ceiling fans on the 14th of February?
Each shipment will require approval. This means that request will be made in each case.
Once I have received approval what do I do then?
Your approval letter must be submitted to your Broker (if you have one), who will attach it to you Customs Declaration, so that you pay 0% duty.
ENDS
Facebook to use surveys to boost ‘trustworthy’ news
Facebook has announced it will prioritise news sources deemed to be more trustworthy on its News Feed.
The firm said the social network community will determine which outlets are reliable via the use of user surveys.
Founder and chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said news content will soon make up around 4% of what appeared in people's News Feeds - down from 5% before.
The move is the latest attempt by the company to quell the spread of so-called fake news and propaganda on the network.
As part of that continuing battle, Twitter also announced on Friday that it had notified 677,775 US-based users who had retweeted, liked or followed Russian bot accounts on the network in the run up to the 2016 US presidential election.
The change is an attempt to shift the key judgements over bias and accuracy away from Facebook's employees, and onto its user base.
"We could try to make that decision ourselves, but that's not something we're comfortable with," Mr Zuckerberg said.
"We considered asking outside experts, which would take the decision out of our hands but would likely not solve the objectivity problem. Or we could ask you - the community - and have your feedback determine the ranking."
Users will be asked, as they sometimes are about advertising, whether they recognise a news brand and if they trust it.
Facebook's theory - yet to be tested on a large scale - is that while there are many partisan outlets that have readers that trust them, there is a smaller subset of media companies that a majority people find "broadly trustworthy", whatever their particular leanings.
"There's too much sensationalism, misinformation and polarisation in the world today," wrote Mr Zuckerberg, who recently announced that his challenge this year was to essentially "fix" Facebook.
"Social media enables people to spread information faster than ever before, and if we don't specifically tackle these problems, then we end up amplifying them."
The news ranking system will first be tested on US-based users only, and the results of the survey will not be made public.
"This is one of many signals that go into News Feed ranking," a Facebook spokesman told the BBC.
Source-BBC
Bolt pledges $1 million for kids displaced by fire
Jamaica's sprint legend Usain Bolt wasted no time in pledging $1 million, through his foundation, to assist children displaced by an early morning fire at Walker's Place of Safety in St Andrew Tuesday morning.
The Usain Bolt Foundation, which was established in 2011, targets children in need.
Chairman of the foundation, Winsome Wilkins, said Bolt was moved by the tragedy at the home, which saw two wards of the State being killed and another 34 displaced.
She said that the Foundation, which is dedicated to the legacy of happy children and to enhance their educational and cultural development, was chosen by Bolt as the best vehicle through which he would show his support for those who have suffered.
Wilkins said preparations were being made to have the donation handed over early next week to the Child Development Agency by Bolt.
In the meantime, the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) said yesterday that 34 children affected by the fire have been relocated to three residential childcare facilities in the Corporate Area. The children, who were accompanied by social workers and their caregivers, were also receiving counselling, the agency said.
Source-JO
House passes stopgap spending bill, Senate fate uncertain
The House a cleared a must-pass bill Thursday night to fund the government through February 16, sending the measure to the Senate as lawmakers scramble to avoid a government shutdown amid a fight over the fate of young undocumented immigrants known as Dreamers.
The measure passed by a 230-197 vote, with a handful of Republicans joining Democrats in voting against the measure.
Conservatives in the House Freedom Caucus largely backed the measure, after spending much of the day in negotiations with the White House and GOP leaders over concerns about military funding levels and the larger debate between the White House and Capitol Hill over immigration reform.
The package would fund the government through mid-February, and also includes a measure to renew funds for a program, known as CHIP, providing low-income children with health insurance for six years.
Democrats largely opposed the measure over the amount of funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program and the lack of progress on protecting roughly 700,000 Dreamers from deportation in March.
In the Senate, Democrats have pledged to oppose the bill unless it includes protections for recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
Last-minute negotiations were disrupted Thursday by an early-morning tweet from President Trump that appeared to undermine the GOP strategy to include CHIP funding to attract Democratic votes.
Trump later spoke with House Speaker Paul Ryan, and the White House and top GOP leaders said the president did in fact support Republicans’ short-term spending package.
The measure now moves to the Senate, where the math still appears to be a challenge for Republicans, who would need Democratic votes to clear the 60-vote threshold needed to pass it.
A shutdown would begin just after Friday's midnight deadline-- Saturday being the one year-anniversary of President Trump’s inauguration.
Source-ABC
13 siblings ages 2 to 29 "held captive" by parents, some shackled, officials say
An investigation is underway in California after 13 siblings ages 2 to 29 were allegedly held captive in a home, some "shackled to their beds with chains and padlocks," the Riverside County Sheriff's Department said in a press release.
Two parents, 57-year-old David Allen Turpin and 49-year-old Louise Anna Turpin, were arrested in the torture and child engagement case in Perris, about 27 miles south of San Bernardino.
The investigation began early Sunday morning when a 17-year-old girl allegedly escaped from the home and called 911, claiming that her 12 brothers and sisters were being held captive there, the sheriff's office said.
Responding officers said the teen "appeared to be only 10 years old and slightly emaciated."
Inside the home was a shocking scene.
Several children were "shackled to their beds with chains and padlocks in dark and foul-smelling surroundings," the sheriff's office said. "The victims appeared to be malnourished and very dirty."
Seven of the victims were adults, ranging in age from 18 to 29, the sheriff's office said. The others were children as young as 2. The victims -- who authorities say claimed to be starving -- were given food and drinks and interviewed, the sheriff's office said. They were then hospitalized for treatment, the authorities said.
The parents were interviewed and later booked on charges of torture and child endangerment, the sheriff's office said. Bail was set at $9 million each.
David Turpin's parents, James and Betty Turpin of West Virginia, told ABC News they are “surprised and shocked” by the allegations against their son and daughter-in-law.
James and Betty Turpin said they hadn't seen their son and daughter-in-law since visiting them in California some four to five years ago. However, they said they have kept in touch with them by phone since. They told ABC News they had not spoken to their grandchildren, saying David Turpin or his wife would often call when they were without the children, who are homeschooled.
The distraught grandparents added that David and Louise Turpin are considered a good Christian family in their community, saying they can't understand “any of this.”
The sheriff's office said it's believed that all of the victims were their biological children.
It's unclear how long the victims were held inside the home, the authorities said.
Source-ABC
H&M hires diversity leader after global backlash
Following the nearly two weeks of immense backlash over the racially insensitive image that showed a young black boy wearing a “coolest monkey in the jungle” hoodie, H&M has announced they've appointed a global leader in diversity.
"The recent incident was entirely unintentional, but it demonstrates so clearly how big our responsibility is as a global brand," the Swedish-based company said in a statement on Facebook, which includes an image of the words, "We are listening."
"We have reached out, around the world, inside and outside H&M to get feedback," the statement continues. "Our commitment to addressing diversity and inclusiveness is genuine, therefore we have appointed a global leader, in this area, to drive our work forward. There will be more from us soon."
The announcement comes just days after H&M had to temporarily close some of its South African stores after anti-racism protests, and a South African non-governmental organization demanded that H&M executives undergo “compulsory anti-racism and diversity training."
According to USA Today, H&M has hired Annie Wu, the company's current global manager for employee relations, as its new global leader for diversity and inclusiveness. However, there is no word on exactly what Wu's new role will entail.
San Antonio Spurs' Kawhi Leonard out indefinitely with quad issue
San Antonio Spurs star Kawhi Leonard is being put back on the shelf indefinitely, the team announced, as Leonard continues to recover from a quadriceps issue.
The team announced during training camp that Leonard would miss the preseason with right quadriceps teninopathy. His recovery took longer than initially expected, causing him to miss the first 27 games of the season.
Since then, Leonard has played in just nine game -- scoring 16.2 points in 23.3 minutes per game.
On Wednesday, Spurs general manager RC Buford said Leonard "has made significant progress and continues to move forward in his rehabilitation." Still, Buford said, allowing Leonard to sit out for a while "is the best approach for the next steps in his return to play."
Sources told ESPN that Leonard did not experience a setback.
Even without Leonard, considered an MVP candidate before the season, the Spurs are in third place in the Western Conference, with a record of 29-16.
Sports-ABC