US foreign relations to be discussed at CARICOM meeting
Community (CARICOM) leaders will be discussing CARICOM- US foreign relations at the 38th meeting of the conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community being held on July 4-6, 2017.
The discussion comes in lieu of new foreign policies articulated by US president Donald Trump.
In a news release today in Grenada where the summit will be held, CARICOM Secretary General Irwin LaRocque said.
“Our foreign affairs ministers will be having an encounter in the margins of the meeting here in Grenada this week with the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Thomas Alfred “Tom” Shannon Jr specifically to address CARICOM US relations and of course I am sure out foreign ministers will then report to the heads”.
LaRocque also said that the region is “very encouraged by the recent passage of the United States-Caribbean Strategic Engagement Act,” which is aimed at consolidating Washington's engagement with the Caribbean.
Under the United States-Caribbean Strategic Engagement Act, the US Secretary of State and the US Agency for International Development will devise a multi-year strategy on issues of concern to the region, such as security, energy, diplomacy and increased access to educational opportunities.
“I am very much aware that the State Department has published the first strategy…so all of that will form the backdrop to the discussions”.
But LaRocque said that the region continues to be “concerned about the cuts in funds to the State Department do not impact us in CARICOM.
“We are currently receiving a significant amount of resources, individual member states and collectively under the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI), we trust that the partnership would continue and urge that the funding levels do not decrease.
Source-CMC
Windies victory another step closer
West Indies head coach Stuart Law has hailed Sunday's sensational win over India but cautioned it was just one step on a long road back for the embattled Caribbean side.
The Windies looked down-and-out when they stumbled to 189 for nine off their 50 overs batting first in the fourth One-Day International but rallied to bundle out the Indians for 178, and clinch an amazing 11-run victory.
“I believe in these boys. I believe they have got the skill,” the Australian told reporters following the result at the Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium.
“We beat Pakistan a couple of weeks ago chasing down 300 and now we've defended a reasonably small total against India – two of the best teams in the world we've gone on to beat.
“I believe they've got the skill, I believe they've got the talent. If we just improve their work ethic and they've got to play a different game than they're used to. As soon as we start realising that and start working towards that, I think we can start making progress.”
He added: “Today is one step and it's a big ladder for us but today is one step closer to where we want to end up. It's a lot of hard work and we are working hard, believe me.
“The people of the Caribbean probably don't see us working as hard as we are and I just want to let them know that we are very pleased that we've put a win on the board today for everybody in the region.”
Entering the contest down 2-0 in the five-match series and trying to avoid yet another series defeat, West Indies produced yet another limp effort with the bat as their batsmen succumbed to a series of soft dismissals.
Source-CMC
China's $9tn bond market opens up
A long-awaited scheme enabling foreign investors to buy and sell Chinese bonds has been launched.
The Bond Connect programme is Beijing's latest attempt to open up its financial markets and attract foreign capital.
China's $9 trillion bond market is the third-largest in the world, but only 2% of Chinese bonds are foreign-owned.
The launch has been timed to coincide with the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's handover to Chinese rule.
Bonds are glorified IOUs, typically sold by governments and companies to raise cash.
Their attraction to investors is that they usually offer a fixed rate of interest and come with the promise of eventual full repayment when the bond expires.
Initially, Chinese bonds can be bought by banks, insurers and fund managers via Hong Kong.
No date has been set for Chinese investment in foreign bonds.
HSBC Holdings and an asset management unit of Bank of China became the first institutions to trade using the scheme, with about $300m worth of bonds purchased in early trading.
Buying Chinese bonds - essentially Chinese government and corporate debt - will give investors greater access to investments denominated in the Chinese currency, the yuan or renminbi.
Overseas investors have in the past been cautious about entering the market - partly over the stability of the Chinese currency as well as Beijing's perceived lack of urgency to reform its financial markets.
Source-BBC
Pakistan fuel tanker inferno death toll tops 200
The death toll from a lorry fire in Pakistan last week has risen sharply, with more than 200 people killed.
The tanker carrying fuel burst into flames near Ahmedpur East on 25 June.
Villagers had gathered, reportedly to collect fuel leaking from the crashed tanker, when it caught fire. Dozens are being treated in hospital.
The death toll in the hours after the fire hit 150, but local officials now say it is at least 206, after more victims died in hospital.
The fire was sparked by a passer-by lighting a cigarette, a rescue services spokesman told the BBC.
Some of the victims may only be identified by DNA sampling, as the bodies were so badly burned in the incident, reports said.
A mass funeral for 125 of the victims was held last week.
Police sources told Pakistani news agency APP that the tanker had been transporting 25,000 litres (5,500 gallons) of fuel from Karachi to Lahore. It appears the tanker blew a tyre while rounding a sharp bend in the road.
Police sources said that people in nearby villages had rushed to the scene to collect fuel in pots, and also made phone calls to their relatives in other villages to come to collect fuel.
Traffic police had tried in vain to keep the crowds away from the tanker as local people, including women and children, continued collecting fuel, the sources said.
A huge fire then erupted, engulfing all the people standing around the vehicle, they said.
Emergency services struggled to find burns units to treat the injured, APP reported.
Motorway police spokesman Imran Shah told the AFP news agency that a government inquiry had concluded five police officials were guilty of concealing information after the fire.
Source-BBC
Zika Update - “Small bite, Big Threat”
Over the past year there have been concerns expressed about the possibility of infection with the Zika virus. While there were a number of countries in the Caribbean which have reported a high number of cases, the Turks and Caicos Islands have been very fortunate. To date, there were twenty-five cases within the islands with no new cases since the first week of January, 2017.
The Ministry of Health, Agriculture and Human Services wishes to encourage the residents of the Turks and Caicos Islands to remain vigilant. Recently there have been frequent rainfall, residents and visitors are encouraged to continue to keep their surrounding free from all standing water even in flower pots. For those who have not yet removed old tires and derelict vehicles we encourage you to do so. Ensure that gutters are clean and free of debris as it can be a breathing site.
The Minister of Health, Agriculture and Human Services, Hon. Edwin Astwood stated: "Reduction of any contact between the mosquito and our people and those visiting us is critical. We encourage you to remove any stagnant water, use mosquito nets where possible and use appropriate repellents."
Hon. Astwood further stated that "My ministry remains committed to ensuring that residents and visitors alike, continue to enjoy safe surroundings by minimizing and eventually eliminating major threats posed by vector borne and other illnesses."
The efforts of our public health professionals and the multiple agencies who collaborate with us continue to fog, remove derelict vehicles and waste appliances, place traps along courses that capture larvae and conduct clean up campaigns around the islands. Due to our vigilance there have been no reported new infections and with our efforts maintaining momentum, we expect a continuance of this trend.
Mrs. Aldora Robinson, Director of Health Promotion and Advocacy Unit stated; "We can halt this big threat, but it requires the full cooperation of everyone alike to actively engage in a search and destroy mission of mosquito breeding sites whether big or small, inside our homes or around our homes, workplaces, schools, churches or playgrounds are destroyed. Let's find them."
The Ministry of Health, Agriculture and Human Services wishes to assure the general public that our teams continue to engage in strategic actions to ensure that there is no recurrence of cases and have been taking time to share key information and build the skills of our communities. The health care mechanisms are robust and responsive and our personnel are well prepared.
TCI CUSTOMS TEAM TRAVEL TO CAYMAN ISLANDS FOR TRAINING
On Tuesday, June 6th, 2017 a delegation comprising of members of the Turks & Caicos Islands Custom Department travelled to the Cayman Islands. The purpose of the trip was to focus on strengthening our enforcement initiatives and capacity building. To seek ways of enhancing the overall structure and capabilities of the investigative and enforcement unit. The team consisted of June Harry, Assistant Collector (Enforcement), Gregston Been, Senior Customs Officer (Intelligence/Investigations Unit) and Alton Scott, Customs Officer (Anti-Smuggling Unit)
The Cayman Islands Customs Department was chosen because of its advanced enforcement operations and tools, particularly pertaining to baggage, containerized scanning, commercial imports and exports, fraud, intelligence gathering and analysis narcotics interdiction.
Team members were attached to various sections of the department including:
Commercial fraud unit
Joint Intelligence Unit
Intelligence/Investigations Unit
Airport
Seaport
Container/postal/Courier
Bonds/Warehousing
FSI (freight security initiative)
Maritime
Firearm handling
Duty collections
Narcotics Enforcement (CNET)
Joint Police & Customs Marine Unit
Mrs. Harry stated; "The training was extremely beneficial to us. It gave us the opportunity to gain valuable 'on the job' training in different aspects of the operation of a number of areas within the Customs Department. We began with classroom training which covered: Note taking, Statements, Modes and powers of arrest, Role of the professional standards units, Management by objectives, Time Management, Relationship with Prosecutor and Investigator and Stress Management."
"Our departmental strategic plan for the next 3 years focuses on strengthening enforcement initiatives. In order for us to make this a reality it is imperative that officers receive the necessary training because proper training will bridge the gap between where we are and where we should be."
Mr. Been added; "Such partnerships and initiatives can strengthen and help sustain our border protection efforts and also combat common threats We are all grateful for the opportunity to gain a significant amount of knowledge and we are eager to share this knowledge with our comrades here in TCI. We looking forward to attending the advance training for border protection for Senior Officers and Senior Management which is schedule for September 2017."
TCI Hospital attends International Infection Prevention Conferences
A team of clinicians from Turks and Caicos Islands Hospital recently attended the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) 44th annual conference in Portland, Oregon on June 14-16 2017, which is the premier forum and largest gathering in the world for infection prevention and epidemiology professionals.
The APIC conference featured three days of more than 90 cutting-edge educational sessions and workshops led by leading clinical, industry, and public health experts from across the globe and attended by nearly 5,000 professionals. Professionals capitalized on the opportunity to stay ahead of emerging issues, industry-hot topics and analyzed abstract presentations on critical issues like multidrug-resistant organisms, public reporting and safe injection practices.
The delegation from INTERHEALTH Canada (IHC) TCI comprised Orthopedic Surgeon, Doctor Richard Knobloch, Senior Infection Prevention & Control Nurse, Sur-bre-na Pedi-can, Operating Room Nurse, Jennifer Masi-clat and Senior Nurse, Celeste Hunt.
The conference aimed to provide infection preventionists, physicians, researchers, epidemiologists, educators, administrators, and medical technologists with strategies that can be implemented immediately to improve prevention programs and make healthcare safer.
The delegation visited the largest exhibit hall, dedicated to infection-prevention, to learn about scientific advances in equipment and devices, and were able to identify a number of products to recommend for usage at TCI Hospital. The team also organized an exploratory visit to Salem Health Hospital, which is a 435 bed, full service healthcare facility, serving an area of 400,000 residents in the state of Oregon.
Following the APIC Conference, Nurse Surbrena Pedican travelled to Geneva, Switzerland to participate in the 4th International Conference on Prevention & Infection Control (ICPIC) and IPC training workshop held by the World Health Organization on June 20-24 2017.
An abstract on multiple drug resistant organisms created by Nurse Pedican was showcased during the conference in Switzerland and she was able to network with IPC leaders from across the world.
Bam! Here's some of the most intriguing track breakdowns from JAY-Z's 4:44
JAY-Z's coming clean on "4:44."
On the 10-track album, the rapper suggests he was unfaithful in his marriage to Beyoncé -- rapping "I don’t deserve you" on the album's title track -- and also reflects on the kind of husband and father he hopes to be on songs like "Legacy."
Here are some of the most fascinating track breakdowns from the rapper's 13th solo album:
"Kill JAY-Z"
In the first track on the album, JAY-Z talks about his relationship with celebrities, including his former best friend, Kanye West. He raps, "But if everybody's crazy then you're one that's insane." He also addresses his sister-in-law, Solange, and that headline-making elevator fight after the 2014 Met Gala.
"The Story of O.J."
JAY-Z uses the story of O.J. Simpson as a metaphor for the highs and lows of success, especially as a black man in America. "O.J. like I'm not black, I'm O.J...OK," he raps, unconvinced. He also talks about building financial wealth by buying property instead of blowing his cash in nightclubs.
"4:44"
Many are calling the title track a response to Bey's Lemonade album where she tells the painful story of a woman being cheated on. On this song, JAY-Z raps: "I apologize often womanize/Took for my child to be born/See through a woman’s eyes/Took for these natural twins to believe in miracles/Took me too long for this song/I don’t deserve you."
"Legacy"
If you had any question just where JAY-Z's head is at, he makes it clear on the final song on "4:44." His daughter, Blue Ivy, helps on the track in which he talks about his desire to create generational wealth from his success, rapping, "That's the key."
Source-ABC
Sweeping tax reform introduced in India
India has replaced its numerous federal and state taxes with the Goods and Services Tax (GST), designed to unify the country into a single market.
The historic overhaul of the existing tax legislation was carried out at a special midnight session of parliament.
India says introducing GST will cut red tape and increase tax revenues, fuelling economic growth.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley says the reform will help the economy grow by 2%.
But businesses have been asking for more time to implement changes, worried that they are not ready for the move to the new system.
Many do not even have a computer to register on the GST network.
"No country of comparable size and complexity has attempted a tax reform of this scale," Harishankar Subramanian, of Ernst and Young previously told the BBC.
Under the new system, goods and services will be taxed under four basic rates - 5%, 12% 18% and 28%.
Some items like vegetables and milk have been exempted from GST, but will still be subject to existing taxes.
The price of most goods and services are expected to increase in the immediate aftermath of the tax.
Analysts expect economic growth to slow down over the next few months, but say it should pick up after the tax is fully implemented.
Ex-employee opens fire in Bronx
A gunman has opened fire with an assault rifle inside a hospital in the Bronx borough of New York, killing one doctor and injuring six other people, five of them seriously.
The gunman, a former doctor at the hospital, killed himself in the attack.
The shooting began at about 14:55 local time (18:55 GMT) at the 1,000-bed Bronx-Lebanon Hospital.
Mayor Bill de Blasio said the shooting was not an act of terrorism, but rather workplace-related.
He said the attack had been a "horrific situation in the middle of a place that people associate with care and comfort".
Police Commissioner James O'Neill said the attack began on the 16th floor and all the victims were shot on the 16th and 17th floors.
The gunman has not been officially named but police sources told US media he was Henry Bello, 45, a former family-medicine doctor at the hospital. Sources quoted by NBC said he had resigned in 2015 in lieu of termination.
Mr O'Neill said the gunman had tried to set himself on fire and died of a self-inflicted wound.
Messages on social media spoke of doctors and nurses barricading themselves inside the building in the Mount Hope district.
One patient in the radiology department, Felix Puno, tweeted: "Building is in complete shut down, I was in the middle of getting an X-ray when security alerted us to the active shooter situation."
Garry Trimble, whose fiancee works at the hospital, said security was not good enough.
He said: "I can walk through the back door with an employee. If the employee opens the door, I can walk in. I think every hospital should have one police officer at each entrance. They only ever do something when something happens."
Bronx-Lebanon is a private, not-for-profit hospital that has been operating for 120 years.