Sandals denies properties up for auction for non payment of taxes in Bahamas
Sandals says some of its properties in Exuma that ended up on an auction list published by the Department of Inland Revenue (DIR) is a mistake that will be rectified.
“We are aware of recent media reports suggesting that private properties owned by Sandals in Exuma are slated for auction,” Sandals said in a statement, adding “we wish to state categorically that it is an error stemming from inaccurate records at the Bahamas Department of Inland Revenue.
“We have been assured that the mistake will be rectified, and no bids for these properties will be accepted by the Department of Inland Revenue,” Sandals said.
In the statement, the Jamaica-based hotel group, said it “remains fully committed to The Bahamas” and that “we continue to invest heavily in the region and look forward to building on our longstanding partnership”.
The Department of Inland Revenue (DIR) has demanded that Sandals Resorts make a payment of US$30.8 million in back taxes, but Sandals has challenged that assessment.
Among the properties listed for sale in the notice published on May 12, 2025, are five properties in Exuma labelled as “Farmers Hill, Sandals Beach Units”. The values of the parcels range from $1.15 million to $2.7million.
The Department of Inland Revenue began exercising its power of sale under the Real Property Tax last year in a bid to recover more than US$700 million in delinquent real property tax arrears. It is using the lien, or charge, it has over these properties to sell them via a public auction on June 24, 2025.
The Department’s audit findings, which covered six years between 2017 and 2022, claimed the tax arrears had arisen because Sandals Emerald Bay and its operator, Clearview Management Ltd, had under-reported gross revenue income for the period by more than US$284 million.
The dispute, according to documents filed with the Supreme Court, appears to result from the Sandals’ corporate structure and business model. All guest bookings and payments are made to the resort chain’s corporate parent, Sandals Resorts International 2000, and its third-party booking platform and sales agent, Unique Travel Corporation. Both these entities are domiciled in Panama.
Source-CMC
TCIFA Hosts C-License Coaching Course to Elevate Regional Coaching Standards
The Turks and Caicos Islands Football Association (TCIFA) successfully hosted the first segment of its C-License Coaching Course from May 16–18, 2025, at the TCIFA National Academy. This vital course serves as a stepping stone for the TCIFA's inclusion in the Concacaf Coaching Convention at the C-License Level.
The C-License Coaching Course is a critical component of Concacaf's initiative to standardize coaching conventions across member nations. By participating in these courses, coaches ensure they meet the minimum standards required by Concacaf, which are essential for both audits and the broader coaching framework. Upon receiving membership in the Concacaf Coaching Convention, the TCIFA C-License will gain recognition across all countries in the region, opening new opportunities for coaches and enhancing the quality of football education.
Upon completing the face-to-face segment of the TCIFA C-License coaching course, there will be a designated six-week development period for student coaches. This phase will incorporate online learning and practical assignments. The development period is designed to encourage continuous improvement and self-reflection, allowing coaches to integrate new techniques and strategies into their coaching repertoire. This will be followed by assessments, with provisions for reassessment if necessary to complete the certification process. This structured approach ensures that all participating coaches have ample time to refine their skills and absorb the knowledge imparted during the course.
As part of FIFA’s commitment to Coach Educator mentorship through the FIFA/Concacaf Coach Educator’s Mentorship Program, FIFA Technical Expert John Peacock was invited to oversee the C-License Coaching Course. His role involved assessing and providing feedback to the Coach Educators in accordance with the coaching competency framework. The course was led by Instructors Damien Grant (TCIFA Head of Coach Education) and Dane Ritchie (TCIFA Technical Director).
In continuation of commitment to coaching excellence, TCIFA will also conduct a "Train the Trainers" course. This initiative aims to equip a new cadre of coach educators with the skills and knowledge necessary to sustain and expand the quality of coaching education in the region.
TCIFA Head of Coaching Education Damien Grant, commented,"This C-License course marks a historic milestone for the TCIFA as we take meaningful steps toward full inclusion in the Concacaf Coaching Convention. It’s not just about meeting standards, it’s about raising them. We aim to empower local coaches with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to lead with purpose and develop players more effectively. The commitment shown by the student coaches has been truly inspiring, and I believe they will play a key role in shaping the future of football in our country. This is just the beginning of a new era in coach development, and we are excited to continue building capacity through future initiatives like our Train the Trainers course and TCIFA coaching courses with the support of CONCACAF."
"The Turks and Caicos Islands Football Association has been making significant strides in the area of coach education and this C License Course is a mark in our progress to standardize our coaching education courses to meet the minimum standards set out by Concacaf under the Concacaf Coaching Convention," said TCIFA Technical Director, Dane Ritchie.The delivery of the course has been progressing very well with the candidates being very receptive to the delivery methods being used on the course. We remain grateful for the assistance offered to us through the FIFA/Concacaf Train the Trainers program which allowed us to make significant progress in our coaching education methodology. Thanks to our President Sonia Fulford Missick and our former General Secretary Oliver Smith and our new General Secretary Tamara Hall-Worme for the support in enabling us to be at this juncture in our growth. The Turks and Caicos Islands Coaching Education Department is looking forward to successfully completing the course and the audit process to be accepted into the Concacaf Coaching Convention at the C License Level. This will indeed be a proud day for us."
TCIFA remains committed to its vision of elevating the standards of football coaching, thereby enhancing the overall quality of the sport throughout the region. Through ongoing education and support, the association aims to nurture the next generation of coaches who will, in turn, inspire and develop future football talent.
Trump says ceasefire negotiations between just Russia and Ukraine to start 'immediately'
President Donald Trump held a high-stakes phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday as he continued his push for an end to Moscow's 3-year-old invasion of Ukraine after last week's peace talks in Istanbul, Turkey.
Trump, in a post to his conservative social media platform, said the call lasted two hours and that he believed it went "very well."
Trump said the talks would begin "immediately" and that he spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as well as several NATO leaders, after the call with Putin.
Putin, speaking to journalists in Sochi, claimed that he is willing to work on a "memorandum on a possible future peace agreement" with Ukraine, but did not elaborate on what that would look like.
Trump had promised to end the war within 24 hours of taking office during the 2024 campaign, but both sides still appear far apart and Russia has only intensified strikes inside Ukraine.
Source- ABC
2025 TCI TOP MODEL FAN FAVOURITE CHALLENGE
TCI Top Model Contest continues as organisers unveil the highly anticipated Fan Favourite Challenge—an interactive social media campaign that puts the power of selection in the hands of the public.
Running from May 22 to May 28, 2025, the TCI Top Model: Fan Favourite Challenge invites followers on Instagram and Facebook to vote for their favourite contestant through likes and shares. Each contestant will be featured in their own individual post, showcasing their style, personality, and journey.
One like and one share each count as a vote, with engagement measured exclusively on the official TCI
Top Model pages:
Instagram: @tcistopmodel
Facebook: @tcitopmodel
The contestant with the highest total number of likes and shares by 12:00 noon on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, will be named the 2025 TCI Top Model Fan Favourite and awarded a $500 gift certificate courtesy of FLOW.
“This challenge is all about community support and visibility,” said Courtney Robinson, Founder and Executive Producer of the TCI Top Model Contest. “It gives our audience a voice and offers the contestants a powerful platform to showcase their individuality.”
Important Note:
The Fan Favourite Challenge is a stand-alone title and does not determine the winner of the 2025 TCI Top Model Contest. The overall winner will be selected by an official panel of judges during the Grand Finale on Saturday, May 31 st , 2025, at Brayton Hall.
Rules:
Only engagement (likes and shares) on official TCI Top Model social media accounts will be counted.
Use of bots, fake profiles, or paid engagement will lead to disqualification.
The winner will be officially announced within 24 hours of the contest closing via Instagram, Facebook, and an official press release.
The 2025 TCI Top Model Contestants:
1. Shakem Charles
2. Kavanna Hanna
3. Juane Familia
4. Mynisha Chery
5. Mosderlin Hicher
6. Diavion Ebanks
7. Hubert Prospere
8. Shenylce Bello
The countdown is on! Like and share the posts of your favourite contestant(s) to show your support and help them claim the title of 2025 TCI Top Model Fan Favourite. Your engagement could change their future!
The Weeknd says Hurry Up Tomorrow director created a 'safe space' for him to be 'vulnerable'
The psychological thriller Hurry Up Tomorrow, starring Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye, is in theaters now. While Abel starred in the 2023 HBO series The Idol, this marks the first time that he's carried an entire film by himself. But as director Trey Edward Shults revealed, he didn't see the series before he started working with Abel.
"When we shot this, we shot it before The Idol was even out," Shults told ABC Audio at the film's New York City premiere. "The only thing I had seen him act in were his music videos. But I connected with him."
And Abel says that connection made it easy for him to play a character on the verge of a mental breakdown.
"I mean, once I got to work with Trey ... I've been a huge fan of his work," the singer told ABC Audio on the red carpet. "So all I needed to do was trust him and connect with the material. And at that [point], it wasn't too challenging, I think, being vulnerable."
He then turned to Trey and told him, "You created a safe space."
Hurry Up Tomorrow is a companion piece to The Weeknd's #1 album of the same name. But as he told ABC Audio, the album was the most challenging part of the whole project.
"We made the film first, and we had a few songs that we had recorded, ideas that we needed to see on the screen. But aside from that, everything else was up in the air," Abel explained. "So, kind of replacing material with brand-new music was really tough for me."
"And never wanting to settle," Shults added. "We always wanted to push something sonically to a place that was fresh and singular and new."
"That was really important," agreed Abel.
The film also stars Barry Keoghan and Jenna Ortega.
Source-ABC
Al Pacino joins Anthony Hopkins, Jessica Alba in Maserati: The Brothers biopic
Al Pacino is showing no signs of hitting the brakes on his acting career, as he's just been announced as the latest actor to join the upcoming biographical film Maserati: The Brothers.
The 85-year-old movie legend joins fellow industry big names Anthony Hopkins, Andy Garcia and Jessica Alba to star in the biopic centered around the Maserati family and their legacy in the automotive world, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Pacino will take on the role of Vincenzo Vaccaro, an auto investor and supporter of the Maserati family.
Directing the film is award winner Bobby Moresco, whose credits include Crash, 10th & Wolf and Million Dollar Baby.
In a statement to THR, producer Andrea Iervolino said the team is thrilled to have Pacino join the cast. "His unparalleled talent and iconic presence bring a profound depth to our portrayal of this inspiring and emotional story. Having such a legendary figure join our already incredible cast is truly an honor," he said.
Producers also say the final phase of shooting Maserati: The Brothers will begin in Rome in June.
Supreme Court weighs blocks on Trump's order to end birthright citizenship
The Supreme Court on Thursday heard oral arguments over President Donald Trump's emergency request to roll back nationwide injunctions blocking his executive order to end birthright citizenship.
The rare May sitting of the court sets the stage for a decision by this summer on whether Trump can move forward with plans to limit U.S. citizenship only to children born on American soil to lawful permanent residents.
The case is also expected to address the legality of individual district court judges single-handedly blocking a presidential policy nationwide. Trump is seeking to dissolve judicial orders preventing mass federal layoffs, funding freezes and expedited deportation protocols.
Source-ABC
FEMA 'not ready' for hurricane season, internal review finds
As the Federal Emergency Management Agency prepares for the approaching hurricane season, the agency is ill-prepared, according to an internal document obtained by ABC News.
The document was prepared for acting FEMA Administrator David Richardson as he takes the helm of the agency responsible for managing federal disasters.
"As FEMA transforms to a smaller footprint, the intent for this hurricane season is not well understood, thus FEMA is not ready," according to the document.
The document says that FEMA is uncertain about its future, while planning for hurricane season, which starts on June 1.
Staffing limitations and hiring will also impact FEMA's operations, according to the document, as well as a lack of coordination with states.
Source-ABC
OECS trade ministers meeting against shifting global trading arrangments
Trade ministers from the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) began a two-day meeting here against the backdrop of a changing global trade environment and the need for the sub-region to respond appropriately to those changes.
Grenada’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Export Development, Joseph Andall, told the sixth Council of Trade Ministers meeting that the OECS would need to strategise for dealing with changes being called for within the World Trade Organization (WTO), the United States new trading arrangements as well as the situation within the wider Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
Andall said with a functioning economic union and a fully operational customs union as well as the free circulation of goods, the OECS would be better positioned “to influence the speed and trajectory of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME)” that allows for the free movement of goods, skills, labour and services across the 15-member grouping.
“Further, as the less developed countries within CARICOM, it is important for the OECS to secure the anticipated benefits of the CSME, including through the full operationalisation of Chapter 7 of the Revised Treaty pf Chaguaramas, ensuring that we coordinate our engagement within the CARICOM organs will be critical to this”.
Andall said that the Council agreed to convene ordinary meetings in advance of the CARICOM Council on Trade and Economic Development (COTED) to allow the sub-region to coordinate its engagement ahead of the June 10th COTED meeting.
“I am hoping we can contribute to CARICOM’s agenda by moving towards a unified voice on some key issues on the COTED agenda,” Andall said, noting that one such issue is the enforcement of competition policy in the OECS”.
He said he has noted that regulatory and competition authorities “was one of the areas where OECS member states agreed to coordinate, harmonise and to do joint actions and policies.
“This is also an obligation under the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. The OECS remains challenged in finding acceptable regional solutions as called for by the revised Treaty of Basseterre (which governs the OECS Economic Union established in 2010).”
Andall said that the meeting will consider and confront issues in the wider economic and trade relations, noting that at the multilateral level at the WTO member states in Geneva are planning the 14th session of the WTO ministerial conference, schedule for 2025.5.14
He said the OECS, through its Geneva Mission, continues to advance its trade and development interests and that a “well functioning rules based multilateral trading system is important for the small countries of the OECS.
“The rules, norms and decision making procedure of the WTO provide the necessary guard rails to help us secure our trade and development interests as we do not have the political and economic capacity to independently influence trade flows and trade rules.
“The WTO is facing threats to its continued relevance. Member states have been engaged in discussions to reform the system and the OECS must ensure it is contributing to the shaping of the future of the WTO,” the Grenada government minister told his colleagues.
He said the OECS countries have also witnessed recent “seismic shifts” in the policy approach to the management of trade by major trading countries, which he warned is the latest threat to the WTO and the multilateral trading system.
“It also threatens our very limited capacity to compete and trade,” he said, referring to the “new America first trade policy.
“We are all aware of the imposition of reciprocal tariffs on OECS exports to the US markets. Since the 1980’s , OECS-US trade has been governed largely by the unilateral and non-reciprocal duty free access that most OECS goods could enjoy under the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI).
But Andall said the new base reciprocal tariff of 10 per cent “is a marked departure from the CBI arrangement.
“This is of significant concern for OECS prospects and desire to increase exports to the United States,” Andall said adding that he was looking forward to the discussions on this matter during the meeting here “as we consider the implications for the OECS.
‘We will need to agree on how to respond and also contribute to the wider CARICOM approach,” he added.
The meeting here is expected to focus on strengthening regional trade policies, advancing economic integration, and addressing pressing trade challenges, reviewing and strengthening the OECS Trade Policy Coordinating Framework, including establishing an OECS Trade Policy Committee with representatives from government, private sector, and civil society.
The Council will discuss the Eastern Caribbean Economic Union (ECEU), focusing on two key components, the operationalization of an OECS Customs Union and the free trade in services regime.
Source-CMC