MINISTRY OF BORDER CONTROL AND EMPLOYMENT ADDRESSES HEALTH CONCERNS AT THE DETENTION CENTER
On Tuesday May 2nd 2017, the Ministry of Border Control and Employment received reports from the management of the Detention Center that one of the 43 poacher prisoners had been diagnosed with a skin disease known as Scabies.
Diagnosis was made at the primary health care clinic in Providenciales where the prisoner was taken after complaining of severe skin irritation and itching.
Scabies, a disease caused by the mite Sacoptes Scabiei, is highly contagious and immediate actions were taken by the Ministry to sanitize the area of the Detention Center and to activate protocols for mitigation against spread of the infectious disease. In addition to the changing of mattresses, bedding, linens and clothing, and due to exposure to the infected poacher, health officials were immediately called in to assess the health of the remaining poacher prisoners, attending security guards and the ministry officials assigned to the Detention Center.
On Wednesday May 3rd Health officials informed the Ministry of a 95% infection rate among the poacher prisoners at the Detention Center, all of whom are currently undergoing treatment for the disease which is expected to last 7 - 14 days.
Visitation by the public and other officials is currently suspended until further notice as a measure for containment of the outbreak to the Detention Center only. Officials from the Ministry of Health and the Department of Disaster Management are assisting in the coordination of sanitization, sterilization and treatment efforts at the center and it is anticipated that the area will be normalized within 10 - 14 days.
The 43 alleged poachers of the Dominican Republic remain at the Detention Center Prison Designate awaiting trial.
DEPARTMENT OF CULTURE HOSTS AUDITIONS FOR NATIONAL CULTURAL GROUP
The Department of Culture today culminated an exciting week of auditions, throughout the Turks and Caicos Islands, for the formation of the Turks and Caicos National Cultural Group. Auditions were conducted in South Caicos, North Caicos, Providenciales and Grand Turk with approximately 90 persons attending island wide.
The auditions were facilitated by members of the Ashe Group of Kingston, Jamaica. Founded in 1993 by the late Joseph Robinson of Turks and Caicos Islands. The Ashe Company is a non-governmental internationally acclaimed edutainment and theatre arts group.
After the completion of the auditions the Ashe performers staged a thrilling 90-minute performance at the Tourist Board's Annual Kite Flying Competition. The performance included a variety of songs and dances, notably TCI local folk songs. It was the first time that that suite of songs and dances was performed before a live audience.
Director of Culture, Miss Ludwina Fulford, said; "The reestablishment of a National Cultural Group is an excellent avenue for our young people to get involved in positive cultural expressions. It was exciting to see the turnout of students throughout the islands. The children showed much enthusiasm in learning the dances and rendering their song and poem selections. Having the team from Ashe here brought nostalgic feelings to the audience especially those members who had trained under the direction of the late Joseph Robinson."
Minister, Hon. Ralph Higgs was especially pleased to witness the group put on an impromptu show for him. He expressed warm sentiments to them and his desire to see a stronger relationship developed between the Ashe Company and the Department of Culture.
The group will be formalized within the next two weeks and presented to the local media along with the plan for its development.
Provo Ocean Warriors held beach clean-up in The Bight
AS PART of a goal to keep the TCI clean, the Provo Ocean Warriors held their annual beach clean-up over the weekend.
Organiser of the clean-up and member of the club Jennifer Martel explained that she has been conducting initiatives such as this since last November.
She explained that she tries to do them on a monthly basis, targeting some of the most severely affected beaches, in an attempt to preserve the beauty of the Islands as much as possible.
The target area for this clean-up was The Bight beach in Providenciales.
Martel added that this was the third time that she and her team had visited the beach in this area over the course of six months and that they were disappointed at the amount of trash they have discovered each time.
"...the amount of trash even after that short amount of time is astronomical each time. We collect bags and bags every time.
"It is such a delicate environment and we are so close to Coral Gardens and all these other reefs and as soon as the trash goes into the water it does not go away, it stays there and it is damaging our ecosystems... that is what brings people to the TCI, our beautiful waters."
She expressed that she is willing to come out every few months to maintain the clean environment because no one wants to see dirty beaches and litter in the ocean, especially not tourists who are sold on the 'Beautiful by Nature and Clean by Choice' brand.
Martel explained that this is why she started the clean-up campaign and has been doing it ever since, however, residents have to play a collaborative role in this process.
"The most important thing is actually throwing the garbage away. A lot of it is from events such as Fish Fry...here is where we find the most garbage.
"If you are at the beach, take a couple of pieces of garbage that you see, do not just walk past it because it will end up in the water in the beach."
Mike Bozzer, sales and marketing representative of Turks Head Brewery who is also a sponsor of the initiative, said that he was happy to be involved in something as positive as this clean-up.
"It is a great event to sponsor. We have a lot of people coming out every month and it just feels great to do our part for the community," he said.
Government promises population policy
IN AN attempt to guide the future growth of foreign residents in the TCI, the PDM Government will soon be developing a population policy.
This policy, according to Deputy Premier Sean Astwood, will highlight the areas of opportunity for migrants to live and work in the TCI as well as protect the citizens of the Islands and promote their gainful employment, development and prosperity for decades to come.
The promise was made during Astwood's presentation in the House of Assembly last week during the budget debate.
Explaining the need for the policy, the Deputy Premier stated: "Over the years there has been an unprecedented number of work permits issued to foreign nationals without any plan or analysis as to the skills that are required.
"This did little but to open the floodgates and in some cases resulted in the displacement of our people in the middle to upper management jobs that would otherwise have been available to them. This trend cannot continue, will not continue, and change, it must."
He added that with increasing developments there will be a continuing need for migrant workers, and that his Government will facilitate businesses in obtaining the workforce they need.
However, he added that the people of the TCI must come first and "we will never apologise for this, as we see this as our greatest responsibility".
The population policy will also be formed on the findings of the National Skills Audit, which he said is 80 percent completed and which will inform what skills and certifications are available in the country and those that are required.
"This audit is critical to the future of these Islands and it is long overdue."
The national skills audit, in addition to being used to help form the population policy, must also help form the country's immigration, health, and education policies, to ensure that these systems are also offering the appropriate programmes and framework that would meet the needs of the current workforce, even while developing a more desirable labour pool for the developing nation.
"With these guiding frameworks, it is the aim of my ministry to reduce the timeframe for the processing of work permit applications, across the board, and enable greater scrutiny of applications, to ensure that the persons being requested are absolutely needed, and capable of fulfilling the work which they are committing to do," Astwood said.
Already there is significant progress in the streamlining of processes within the employment unit, which has brought greater transparency and accountability to the operation and management of the unit.
He added that these have in turn brought greater efficiency in the few short weeks that this work has begun.
Meanwhile, as it relates to the issue of labour disputes not being completed, Astwood said that his ministry will be undertaking a review of the legal framework and policies, as well as staff resources of the Labour Tribunal in an effort to address this.
However, he stated that one of the main reasons there are so many disputes in the work place, is the fact that many employees are not aware of their rights, and either through fear, frustration, or feelings of inadequacy, they are unable to articulate their concerns to their employers in a constructive manner.
"We will also be seeking to have more disputes settled by the Labour Commission therefore, lessening the number of cases reaching the tribunal," he promised.
Police believe that small group is responsible for most crime in TCI
JAMES Smith, Commissioner of Police, believes that a small group of individuals are responsible for the majority of violent crime that takes place in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
He expressed these thoughts during a police press conference held at the police headquarters in Providenciales on Thursday (April 27).
Commissioner Smith referred to the statistics which he gave at the press conference, stating that from April 1, 2016, to March 30, 2017, there have been 111 reports of incidents involving firearms.
One of the media houses asked why it is so difficult for police to capture these criminals since police believed that there are small numbers, adding emphasis to the fact that Providenciales is a small island.
Smith explained that some of the criminals live in areas that are a bit more challenging to access.
The Commissioner of Police added that this does not mean that police would not go in these areas, just that the circumstances made it more difficult to locate the individuals and firearms.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Rodney Adams agreed with Commissioner Smith, stating that he too believed that a small group of individuals were out committing most of the crime heard of in the TCI.
Crime down by 14 percent in the TCI
CRIME in the Turks and Caicos is down by 14 percent, said Commissioner of Police James Smith in a press conference at the police headquarters in Providenciales on Thursday (April 27).
Commissioner Smith broke down the numbers from 2016-17, stating that during that time period a total of 2,626 crimes have been reported in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
He added that for the 2015-16 year there were 3,068 crimes reported for all islands, which means 442 victims less this year.
The commissioner stated that in the last two years overall crime in the TCI has fallen by 21 percent, so there are 704 victims less in two years.
Smith added that the budget settlement will allow the force to allocate more funds to specific units within the force and assist with the promotion of more officers.
The Commissioner said that although these changes will be made, it is the root causes of the crimes that needs to be tackled.
CCCCC, KfW and IUCN Visit CPCCA Projects In Jamaica
Senior officers from the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) are meeting in Jamaica with counterparts from the German Development Bank (KfW) and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) for discussions on a regional Coastal Protection Climate Change Adaptation (CPCCA) Project being implemented in four Caribbean States.
The teams will be on the island between May 8 and 17 to have talks with grantees and partner organisations, and to visit the four sites that have been approved for funding support under the project for the Local Adaptation Measures (LAMs) aimed at improving the ability of vulnerable communities to withstand the impacts of Climate Change.
The CPCCA Project is being implemented by the CCCCC also called the 5Cs, with technical support from IUCN and with €12.9 million in grant funding from the KfW. It seeks to minimise the adverse impacts of climate change by restoring the protective services offered by natural eco-systems like coastal mangrove forests and coral reefs in some areas while restoring and building man-made structures such as groynes and revetments in others.
The LAMs projects in Jamaica are being managed by a mix of non-governmental and government institutions. Participating organisations are the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) in Montego Bay, the University of the West Indies Centre for Marine Sciences (UWI-CMS), for the East Portland Fish Sanctuary; the Caribbean Coastal Area Management Foundation (C-CAM), for the Portland Bight Protected Area; and the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation, in the Negril Environmental Protected Area.
The Jamaican project areas of the Portland Bight and Negril Environmental Protected Areas, East Portland Fish Sanctuary, and the Closed Harbour also called 'Dump-up'
Beach in Montego Bay, are four of the 16 areas being targeted in the Caribbean. The other 12 projects are being rolled out in Grenada, Saint Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
While in Jamaica, the teams will pay a courtesy call on Hon. Daryl Vaz, Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, with responsibility for the Land, Environment, Climate Change and Investment at Jamaica House on Tuesday, May 9. The team is also scheduled to tour the Portland Bight Protected Area on Wednesday, May 10, and are guests at UDC's launch of the Montego Bay Project on Friday, May 12, 2017.
Greensleeves to celebrate 40th anniversary
Greensleeves Records, the legendary British record company that helped introduce dancehall music to the United Kingdom, celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.
VP Records, which bought Greensleeves in 2008, has announced a bold reissue schedule to mark the milestone. It will release albums by Hugh Mundell, Augustus Pablo, Keith Hudson, Sylford Walker and Linval Thompson.
Those singers were instrumental in Greensleeves making a mark in the United Kingdom and other European countries during the 1980s. The label really flourished with releases from producer Henry ‘Junjo’ Lawes’ Volcano label which had Yellowman and Barrington as their leading lights.
Most of Lawes’ productions were recorded at Channel One studio in Kingston, Jamaica with the Roots Radics Band. He was murdered in London in 1999.
Levy maintains a strong following in the UK and Europe thanks to his work with Volcano and its ties with Greensleeves.
The company also plans to release 40th anniversary editions of two landmark albums: Culture’s Two Sevens Clash and The Congos’ Heart Of The Congos.
According to VP, the 40th anniversary will be commemorated with events in London, Paris and New York in the spring and summer.
A new album from Italian singer Alborosie is also in the works.
Greensleeves Records was founded in 1977 by Englishmen Chris Sedgwick and Chris Cracknell in Shepherds Bush, London.
Long jump great slams record rewrite plans
Long jump world record holder Mike Powell said plans to rewrite world records set before 2005 are “a slap in the face” and vowed yesterday to fight the move.European Athletics has proposed that only world records that stand up to strict criteria should be recognised in order to make a clean break with the sport's doping scandals.
Powell, who jumped 8.95 metres in August 1991, said the proposals were “disrespectful, an injustice and a slap in the face”.
“I've already contacted my attorney,” the American, 53, told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“There are some records out there that are kind of questionable, I can see that, but mine is the real deal. It's a story of human heart and guts, one of the greatest moments in the sport's history.
“They would be destroying so many things with this decision without thinking about it. It's wrong. Regardless of what happens, I am going to fight.”
Under the proposals, world records will only stand if set at approved international events and if the athletes concerned had undergone a certain number of doping tests prior to competing.
It's important we have this discussion,” IAAF president Sebastian Coe told BBC London.
“I spend a lot of time with athletes and they have all been talking to me for years about some of the records on the books. So I welcome the debate.
“There has to be a debate and these proposals will come back to the (IAAF) council and I look forward to, maybe, counter-proposals. I do think we have to start somewhere.”
Powell set his world record during a thrilling contest with his United States team-mate Carl Lewis at the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo.
He broke Bob Beamon's mark of 8.90m which stood for 23 years.
Source- AFP
Britain's Prince Philip, 95, to retire from public duties
Britain's Prince Philip, the 95-year-old husband of Queen Elizabeth II, will retire from public engagements later this year, Buckingham Palace said Thursday.
The Duke of Edinburgh, who turns 96 on June 10, is the longest-serving consort in British history, and is still in good health.
But he has been reducing his workload in recent years, and said in 2011 that "I reckon I've done my bit, so I want to enjoy myself a bit now".
Philip conducted 219 royal engagements last year, and was in good form when he opened a new stand at Lord's cricket ground in London on Wednesday.
"You're about to see the world's most experienced plaque-unveiler," he quipped just before pulling the cord to part a small curtain.
The former naval officer's no-nonsense approach combined with his infamous and often politically incorrect off-the-cuff remarks has not made it easy for people to warm to his style.
But his unwavering, forthright style and devotion to duty and the queen has endeared him to the nation.
Prime Minister Theresa May offered him the whole country's "deepest gratitude and good wishes".
"His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh has decided that he will no longer carry out public engagements from the autumn of this year," the palace said in a statement.
"In taking this decision, the duke has the full support of the queen."
It said he would attend previously scheduled engagements until August, and would not accept any new invitations thereafter.
However, "he may still choose to attend certain public events from time to time", it said.
Source-AFP