Kia tops J.D. Power quality rankings
Kia took the top spot in J.D. Power's annual report card on vehicle quality for a second consecutive year, as industry ratings reached a new record and domestic brands maintained their edge over foreign rivals.
Kia, with 72 problems reported per 100 vehicles, was able to retain its No. 1 position despite a shake-up in the 2017 U.S. Initial Quality Study rankings that included significant shifts with the German and Japanese brands -- most notably, Toyota and Lexus -- falling behind many U.S. and Korean brands.
"This is without question the best quality the world has ever seen," Dave Sargent, vice president, global automotive at J.D. Power, said when releasing the results at an Automotive Press Association meeting in Detroit. "The industry is picking up steam and really improving the quality of their vehicles."
In its first year as a standalone brand, Hyundai’s luxury Genesis brand debuting at No. 2, with 77 problems reported per 100 vehicles. Porsche, with 78 problems, dropped to third -- its lowest ranking since 2015.
Ford and Ram, both with 86, rounded out the top five brand positions -- marking the highest positions in the study for both brands and the first time since 2011 that two Detroit brands have ranked that high.
Sargent said Ford's improvement, up from 11th in 2016, was largely because of its new Sync 3 infotainment system, a replacement for its previous Sync and MyFord Touch system that plagued the brand's rankings in recent years.
J.D. Power 2017 U.S. Initial Quality Study
| Nameplate IQS ranking | Problems per 100 vehicles | |
| Kia |  |
72 |
| Genesis | |
77 |
| Porsche | |
78 |
| Ford | |
86 |
| Ram | |
86 |
| BMW | |
88 |
| Chevrolet | |
88 |
| Hyundai | |
88 |
| Lincoln | |
92 |
| Nissan | |
93 |
| Volkswagen | |
93 |
| Mini | |
94 |
| Buick | |
95 |
| Toyota | |
95 |
| Industry Average |  |
97 |
| Lexus | |
98 |
| GMC | |
99 |
| Chrysler | |
102 |
| Mercedes-Benz | |
102 |
| Acura | |
103 |
| Cadillac | |
105 |
| Honda | |
105 |
| Dodge | |
106 |
| Infiniti | |
107 |
| Jeep | |
107 |
| Subaru | |
113 |
| Audi | |
115 |
| Mazda | |
125 |
| Land Rover | |
131 |
| Mitsubishi | |
131 |
| Volvo | |
134 |
| Jaguar | |
148 |
| Fiat | |
163 |
Source-AutoNews
Guyana pleased with first rice crop for 2017
Guyana produced more than half a million tonnes of paddy in the first crop for this year with exports of the commodity totalling more than US$92 million, according to figures released by the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) on Wednesday.
The GRDB said that 518,667 metric tonnes of paddy was produced during the first crop, a 26 per cent increase over the same period last year.
“So you see the first crop figures have been better despite all that have occurred in the industry. Farmers are resilient. Additionally, from paddy supplied to millers across the rice-growing regions, a total of 337, 133 metric tonnes of rice was produced. This is a 26 per cent increase over last year's first crop figures,” GRDB acting general manager, Allison Peters. However, while there have been increases in production, the rice board has been grappling with a decrease in exports of rice and paddy for the first four months of the year, due to the fact that exports to the Panama market for the first crop not materialising.
For the first crop 2017, exports amounted to 239,442 metric tonnes, some 60,000 tonnes less that for the same period last year. Foreign exchange earnings from the export of rice and paddy amounted to US$92.02 million.
Peters noted that while the exports were significantly less than for the corresponding period last year the comparative value of the exports were not much different.
Source-CMC
Major Upset in Church Softball League in Provo
The Church Co-Ed Slow Pitch League Championship began last Thursday night 15/6/17.
The first game of the night was for Third and Fourth place between Roman Catholic Church and Jericho Baptist Church.
In that game, Jericho took control from the outset, but in the second inning the Romans protested the game based on eligibility of one player. The game was allowed to continue under protests and Jericho went on winning this game 12 to 8 for the third place until the protests was heard.
The Championship game began at 8.30pm between Global United and Prophecy Church, in the first inning, Global came out swinging putting four (4) runs on the score board, but Prophecy also too called a timeout, protesting an Eligibility of a player also putting this game under Protests.
This game continued to play under Protests but Global took complete control of this game both in offense and defense and in the end Global defeated Prophecy 10 to 5.
RTC Sports was made to understand that the federation held a board of directors meeting on Saturday at 4pm where both protests were heard. While RTC Sports was not allowed in, the verdict was returned and the hearing found Jericho and Global both in violation of ISF Rule 11 Protests;
"When a protest for in eligibility of a team roster member is allowed, the game shall be forfeited by the offending team". Since Jericho and Global won both games with ineligibility players on there team roster "lineup sheet", Jericho and Roman Catholic were downgraded in there positions Romans 3rd and Jericho fourth.
With Global winning the first game "the best of five game series" was also over turned and the first game awarded to Prophecy.
The second game of the championship will be played Monday June19, 2017 at 7pm at the national stadium.
Bolt to run in Monaco
Eight-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt will run the 100 metres at the Diamond League meeting in Monaco on July 21, organisers announced on Wednesday.
The Jamaican sprinting legend is competing in his final season before retirement and will use the Monaco event as a warm-up for the world championships in London that start on August 5.
The world-record holder (9.58sec) won his first race of the year in Kingston earlier this month in 10.03sec, and is also due to run in Ostrava on June 28.
Bolt, who has won three Olympic 100m-200m doubles, will only compete in the 100m for his farewell at the worlds.
The 30-year-old saw his tally of Olympic gold medals reduced from nine to eight earlier this year, when the Jamaican team were stripped of their 2008 4x100m medals after Nesta Carter's disqualification for doping.
Source-AFP
Britain's Prince Philip, 96, in hospital
Prince Philip, the 96-year-old husband of Queen Elizabeth II, has been admitted to hospital as a "precautionary measure" for treatment of an infection, Buckingham Palace said Wednesday.
The infection arose from "a pre-existing condition", the palace said.
The Duke of Edinburgh, who is to retire from public duties later this year, was admitted to King Edward VII Hospital in London on Tuesday night.
Prince Philip had been due to accompany the monarch to the state opening of parliament on Wednesday as well as day two of the Royal Ascot horse races.
Their eldest son Prince Charles, the heir to the throne, accompanied Queen Elizabeth to the Houses of Parliament in his place.
"Prince Philip is in good spirits and is disappointed to be missing the state opening of parliament and Royal Ascot," a Buckingham Palace spokesman said.
"Her Majesty is being kept informed and will attend Royal Ascot as planned."
Prince Philip was by Queen Elizabeth's side on Saturday for Trooping the Colour, her official birthday military parade in London.
And he was with her at the opening day of Royal Ascot on Tuesday, wearing a grey top hat and tails in the sweltering heat.
But on day two, Queen Elizabeth was accompanied by Charles and his wife Camilla in the first open carriage in the procession.
Source-AFP
Barbados PM wants the region to have a new look at 'brain drain'
Barbados Prime Minister Freundel Stuart says to describe the export of Caribbean nationals to countries across the world as a brain drain “is to see the glass as half-empty”.
“I have never seen the export of manpower as a disadvantage because it is important to have our own people strategically dispersed across the world, especially in metropolitan countries,' Stuart said while meeting the new Chancellor of the University of the West Indies (UWI), Robert Bermudez.
A government statement issued here Tuesday noted that the Chancellor agreed that Caribbean nationals abroad could be assets to the region, but he said this could only happen if they saw themselves as Caribbean people living abroad rather than “people who came from the region”.
However he said, the challenge was to figure out how to keep these nationals engaged.
Bermudez said the responsibility of the UWI was to produce nationals who understood the important role they had to play in the region's development.
“The more our graduates see themselves as citizens, the more we can solve our social problems. We need a lot of hands on deck at a lot of levels,” he added.
Prime Minister Stuart pointed to the need for the University to direct its focus to issues such as entrepreneurship and innovation, as it sought to respond to some of the region's more pressing challenges.
“It is perceived that one of the areas of regional deficit is in developing an entrepreneurial and innovative culture and it is thought that that is the direction the University needs to take,” he added.
The statement said that Bermudez maintained “we have to teach young people to be disrupters. Entrepreneurship is really people's willingness to be disruptive and the UWI must encourage that. To try to stop it is a losing proposition, so we must embrace it.
“The University has to be more engaging. It must become more integrated because we need people in all kinds of areas to help,” Bermudez said, noting that the Caribbean is made up of micro-economies and it was important to stick together and speak with a collective voice in order to have relevance in the world.
Travel company bosses visit the TCI
THE OWNERS and Directors of 25 of the top travel companies in the United States, the United Kingdom and South America recently visited the Turks and Caicos Islands.
The travel professionals were invited to the TCI by officials from Grace Bay Resorts and were treated to a cocktail dinner on Grace Bay beach earlier this week.
Chief Operating Officer for the Grace Bay Resorts, Nikheel Advani, explained that this was the first event of its kind in the TCI.
He said: "It is the first time that 25 of them have come all together to the Turks and Caicos Islands.
"They have hundreds of thousands of travel agents and travel advisors that actually sell this island [Providenciales].
"Over the years they have become very fond of this 'Beautiful by Nature' Turks and Caicos."
The trip also served as an educational opportunity, where students had a chance to showcase the outer islands of the TCI, added Mr Advani.
"Hon Ralph Highs [Minister of Tourism] and the Director of Tourism, Ramone Andrews' focus has been the outer islands.
"We wanted to take them to the outer islands, so we took them on a boat. We went to Little Water Cay, we went to Half Moon and we brought students from all the different islands to make presentations and show pictures of their island.
"Everyone was really excited to know that besides Providenciales, there is so much more to see
"It really opened their eyes and next time they come back they are going to advise their guests or visitors about the outer islands," he said.
One travel agent, Delores Diaz said that she was impressed with the pristine beaches and the beautiful coastline.
Founded by Jena Gardner, an industry veteran with over 20 years of experience, JG Black Book's elite team has more than 175 years of combined travel industry service.
Convicted rapist gets third trial for same crime
LINCOLN Smith, a man convicted twice already of the almost two-hour long rape of a Dominican woman back in 2010, will get a third shot to prove his innocence.
The decision came down on Wednesday (June 14) in the Court of Appeal after arguments by Smith's counsel, Oliver Smith about some missing documents related witness testimony and questions about the judge's summation of the second trial.
Smith's arguments related to some of the witness testimony corroborated by the Crown.
Upon questioning from the three appellate justices about the whereabouts of court transcripts, the court was told that there was none at the moment.
However, the Crown counsel told the court that efforts would be made to get a copy from the trial judge, whom it was assumed kept a written transcript of the proceedings as it was conducted.
The transcripts in question were that of the victim and of a South Caicos pastor who had found the young lady in the bushes where she was attacked and raped, allegedly by Lincoln Smith and another man.
There were also some questions raised about the judge's summation of the case to the jury and information provided to them that should not have been part of their deliberations in reaching a verdict.
After a brief deliberation in chambers, the justices ordered a retrial for Smith; his third so far.
Smith was convicted in the first trial and sentenced to nine years of imprisonment. He was convicted on the strength of his DNA being found on the victim.
However, his alleged accomplice, Lanard Forbes' DNA was not found, and as such he walked free.
Smith appealed the conviction, won and a retrial was ordered.
He was convicted again in the retrial and sentenced to 10 years.
At the time of the arrest of both men, the prosecution had alleged that the men brutally raped the Dominican woman without the use of condoms for over one and half hours.
It was said that they beat her in the face then dragged her into some bushes where they took turns sexually assaulting her.
A South Caicos local pastor later found her lying in the bushes naked from the waist down and crying for help.
In court this week, it was revealed that during his trials, Smith had claimed, as his defence, that he had sexual intercourse with the woman on three other occasions, and that while he saw her on the day that she was raped, he did not rape her.
The Court of Appeal also heard that Smith had claimed that the woman is a prostitute.
The defendant's lawyer also argued that the identification of his client was faulty, and called into question the testimony provided by the pastor during the trial.
Fish Fry to relocate to new venue, says Premier
AFTER five successful years at the Children's Park in The Bight, the popular island Fish Fry will be relocated to a more spacious venue.
Premier Sharlene Cartwright Robinson said that the new location is a three acre lot, adjacent to Beaches Resort and Spa in Providenciales.
She said: "Moving ahead with the home for The Bight Fish Fry, the tender has been completed for that one."
This information was shared during last Tuesday's (June 6) town hall meeting at the Gus Lightbourne Sports Complex.
Members of the crowd were sceptical about the parking space at the mentioned new venue, but the Premier assured that the location is suitable enough to host the event.
The date for the relocation has not been announced.
The Fish Fry is a collaborative effort between the Turks and Caicos Tourist Board, the Department of Culture, the Department of Environment and Maritime Affairs and Flow.
The event has been growing week by week, enticing locals and visitors alike to experience an evening in the park in a fun, family style setting.
Plates loaded with crab and rice, lobster mac and cheese and local island corn straight off the grill sit in front of hungry patrons relaxing on park benches under starry skies.
Local restaurants come from all corners of the island and include Froggie's on da Beach, Kay Jo's, Miss Moonies, Upstairs Bar and Grill, Hole in the Wall, Smokey's on da Bay, Cactus Bar and Grill, Uncle Dough's Salad Bar, Middle Caicos Café, Bugaloo's Conch Crawl, Doreen's Place, Sailing Paradise, Native Cuisine and Three Queens - with each offering up their specialty menu items and the opportunity to try one or all.
Each week a new band takes the stage with rotations by local favourites Lee and the Force, Sea Breeze Rip Saw Band, Keno and Kazz, Alroy and Daz, Kew Band Lynx and V6 Rake n Scrape Band to bring to the venue a variety of styles and sounds and keep the line-up fresh.
Team TCI Strikes Gold at 2017 Taste of the Caribbean
Team TCI walked away with 5 Golds, 2 Silvers and 1 Bronze at the recently concluded Taste of the Caribbean in Florida, Miami.
The relatively young team managed by veteran chef Colin Watson and TCHTA’s Stacy Cox, created some much talked about dishes and cocktails despite this being TCI’s 2nd representation at the competition in the last 10 years. With 2017 seeing tremendous improvement from the previous year Team TCI is already discussing their strategy to win the Caribbean National Team of the Year in 2018.
• Caribbean National Team of the Year – Gold
• Caribbean Chef of the Year – Gold - Chef Edwin Gallardo, Seven Stars Resort
• Caribbean Pastry Chef of the Year – Gold – Chef Yoginder Singh, Beaches Resort
• Caribbean Junior Chef of the Year – Gold - Chef Martin Wilkiens – Seven Stars Resort
• Caribbean Seafood Competition – Gold - Chef Edwin Gallardo, Seven Stars Resort
• Caribbean Beef Competition – Silver – Chef Joseph Charles, Grace Bay Resorts
• Caribbean Chocolate Competition – Silver - Chef Yoginder Singh, Beaches Resort
• Caribbean Bartender of the Year – Bronze - Jean Tissaint, Seven Stars Resort
As food enthusiasts spent June 02 – 06 savouring not only creations from TCI but from across the Caribbean, along with embracing the various cultures, “Mama Bear” Stacy Cox noted, “I could not be prouder of this team, the commitment and drive to win and put TCI on the culinary map amazes me every year. The training they endured leading up to Taste of the Caribbean including Taste of Tapas truly paid off as they were able to stand alongside seasoned teams like Bahamas, Barbados and Jamaica and still walk away with five Gold awards.
When the team wasn’t competing they were busy participating in a number of educational seminars for food and beverage professionals, which allowed them to broaden their skills and techniques. Skills which I know they will share with our Lit’l Chefs at this year’s Hospitality Adventure Summer Camps next month.”
The team included Team Manager Colin Watson, Yoginder Singh, Edwin Gallardo, Joseph Charles and Lit’l Chefs alumni Martin Wilkiens, Robinangel Simmons, Jean Tissaint, Korea Rolle and Christin Greene who is also currently a culinary student at TCICC.
Presented by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), Taste of the Caribbean is an annual event that highlights the art of Caribbean cooking as it brings together top chefs and bartenders from the region to compete for honours in a variety of food and beverage competitions.